How can we keep global warming to under three degrees Fahrenheit by 2040? To find out, former California Governor Jerry Brown spoke with Dr. Veerabhadran Ramanathan, climate scientist and professor at UC San Diego, during a California China Climate Institute discussion. For a transcript, please visit https://climatebreak.org/to-keep-the-warming-limited-with-dr-veerabhadran-ramanathan-california-china-climate-institute/
For a transcript, please visit https://climatebreak.org/to-keep-the-warming-limited-with-dr-veerabhadran-ramanathan-california-china-climate-institute/
Ethan: How can we keep global warming to under three degrees Fahrenheit by 2040? To find out, former California Governor Jerry Brown spoke with Dr. Veerabhadran Ramanathan, climate scientist and professor at UC San Diego, during a California China Climate Institute discussion.
Dr. Ramanathan: You have to bring fossil fuel emissions to zero, then you have to cut down the emissions of super pollutants. They contribute about 40% of the warming, coming from natural gas and capital, ozone, refrigerants, hydrofluorocarbons and cert. The suit we have to cut to zero. The hydrofluorocarbons and methane emissions can be cut by 50%.
Ethan: The greenhouse gas effect is the way in which heat is trapped close to the surface of the Earth by these gasses. They can be thought of as a blanket wrapped around the Earth, which keeps it warmer than it would be without them.
Dr. Ramanathan: The blanket is a trillion tolerance. By the time you bring it to zero in 20 years, that blanket would have become thicker to 1.4 trillion tons.
Ethan: This is Ethan Elkind of Climate Break, bringing you 90 seconds of climate solutions. For further information on Dr. Ramanathan's work at UC San Diego, and for more climate solutions, go to climatebreak.org, or wherever you get your podcast.