William H Calvin

The Great Climate Leap William H Calvin

The world's climate has become unstable from global warming. Even though global overheating did not take any leaps, there have been six abrupt shifts since 1976 in other aspects of climate, global in extent. For example, global drought acreage suddenly doubled in 1982 and stayed there. And there have been at least six near-misses. That 12-years-in-36 track record, not computer forecasts, is why we now need a CO2 cleanup that is big and quick. Climate surprises are like heart attacks. They occur with little warning. In severity, they range unpredictably from minor to catastrophic-say, failing ecosystems and a human population crash from war, famine, pestilence, and genocide. Compared to the climate creep from global warming, climate leaps are both sudden and sooner. So our primary concern is no longer about our grandchildren's world, or even our children's. It's about our future-including that of today's seniors.