Statement by Scientists and Climatologists on Urgency of Gigaton (Gigatonne) CO2 Removal from the Atmosphere

We, scientists and climatologists from around the world, strongly support the necessity and urgency of the First Phase of an international atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) removal program at the multi-gigaton level. This is for two reasons: 1) CO2 is the main heat-trapping gas in the air by far and, therefore, the leading contributor to global warming now and in the near term; and 2) the accumulated level of CO2 that lingers in the air has increased exponentially, to over 40% higher than the 290 ppm it was 70 years ago.

Equally compelling and irresponsible, the GROWTH RATE (rate of change) of the world’s CO2 emissions has quadrupled in that same amount of time, which precludes any “rate of growth peak” in the near future by any statistical analysis. Facing the causally related tripling of the global population in that same amount of time, which presently adds an increasing amount of CO2 to the atmospheric reservoir, approaching and soon to surpass 40 gigatons (gigatonnes) EVERY YEAR, the removal of multi-gigatons of CO2 on an annual basis must be designated as the highest environmental priority.  

Our concern and solidarity with the victims of climate change, who often go unreported and unrecognized, necessitates this call to action for their sake. Our realization of the trillion-dollar estimated cost of at least neutralizing the annual 40 gigatons of CO2 emissions by every means possible will require an international cooperative effort and commitment of expenditure, also on an annual basis. And while we recognize the possibility of renewable, carbonless energy supplanting the rampant, worldwide fossil fuel burning of the present day, we also recognize the decades upon decades required to reach a negative emission world status by those means alone. Thus, the hoped-for global temperature stabilization can only be achieved, in our opinion, by a concomitant multi-gigaton CO2 removal program, along with the slower evolution of a carbon-free society worldwide.

Taking responsibility for the harm caused by the continued snail’s pace of generated energy industries to transform, a fast track, multi-gigaton moonshot on an international basis, sharing a 5 to 10 gigaton removal pledge to each country annually, will begin the much-needed reversal of the CO2 accumulation in our earth’s thin blue blanket. Speaking of reversal, our support and encouragement toward the international community insists upon a Second Phase once the annual 40-gigaton removal is achieved.  

The Second Phase, which will actually start to cool the planet, must be the life-saving, hundred (100 or higher) gigaton atmospheric CO2 removal to systematically chip away at over 900 gigatons of excess CO2 presently in the air, which is the real cause of global warming for the rest of this century and beyond.* No matter how long it takes, removing from the air at a level that exceeds the annual global CO2 emissions EVERY YEAR is a matter of utmost necessity and will become more urgent and more difficult every year that we fail to do so. Therefore, our real support and petition are for an international cooperative venture of 50 to 100 gigatons of CO2 removal on an annually increasing basis in order to exceed the annually increasing CO2 emissions for the sole, guaranteed purpose of reversing our hothouse earth’s feverish temperature.

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*Calculated from about 410 ppm CO2 presently, minus the ideal 290 ppm of stability we saw before 1950, which equals 120 ppm of excess CO2 in the air. Each 1 ppm = 7.77 gigatons CO2 worldwide, so 120 ×7.77 = 932 gigatons.

Scientists, Science Students, Physicists, Climatologists, or any other Academics, please use this Form to show your support: https://forms.gle/joWDLivjxbNqSbSC6

This statement has been initiated by a group of climatologists and scientists. Inquiries: IRI@erols.com 

Signed by Scientists, Students, Physicists, Climatologists, and Academics from around the world: