David Voigts.

It has been generally accepted that Earth’s global temperature is rising as the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide increases. However, temperatures currently are rising faster than expected from rising carbon dioxide levels alone. According to research reported in the peer reviewed journal “One Earth,” this is caused by amplifying climatic feedback loops that result when an initial change in warming brings about another change that results in even more warming. For example, warming in the Arctic leads to melting sea ice, and since water reflects less sunlight (has a lower albedo) than ice, more sunlight is absorbed and warms the water more, which melts more ice, and so on. Researchers have identified 41 feedback loops, although not all result in accelerated warming.

The effects of the feedback loops have not been quantified, but the concern is that Earth could be entering a period of unprecedented climate change. Already data show that the world is warming much faster than during any of the warming events documented in the past, and feedback loops may be the driving force. If this continues, feedback loops could push the climate into a new state that would be hard to reverse and might result in tragic climate change with more weather extremes, unprecedented wildfires, and altered ecosystems.

While these findings may be speculative, they have been presented by credible climate scientists. This alone should be cause for concern. We need to get Earth’s climate house in order – soon.

David Voigts is a retired ecologist and the current Conservation Chair for the Prairie Rapids Audubon Society. He is a Tama County native, graduating from Dinsdale High School, and lives in rural Jesup on his wife’s family farm.