| what does 350 mean? Issue1 #70723 So what does that 350 number mean? |
350 parts per million
is what many scientists are now saying is the safe upper limit for CO2 in our atmosphere.
We are currently (JULY 2010) at 390.09ppm.
Scientists are now saying that's too much – that number is higher than any time seen in the recorded history of our planet—and we're already beginning to see disastrous impacts on people and places all over the world.
* Glaciers everywhere are melting and disappearing fast—and they are a source of drinking water for hundreds of millions of people.
* Mosquitoes, who like a warmer world, are spreading into lots of new places, and bringing malaria and dengue fever with them.
* Drought is becoming much more common, making food harder to grow in many places.
* Sea levels have begun to rise, and scientists warn that they could go up as much as several meters this century. If that happens, many of the world's cities, island nations, and farmland will be underwater.
For more detailed information including references -- go here.
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