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Mitigation Wedge Images

Lesson Plan 7 – Day 1

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Carbon Emissions & Stabilization

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Carbon Emissions & Stabilization

This image is the same as the previous slide except for the declining blue line from 2005 to 2055. Maintaining a stable emissions rate at the 2005 level does not mean that the temperature will not change. In order to stop warming we must eliminate an even larger wedge as shown by the triangle that occupies the area between the solid orange line and the solid blue line.��Carbon emissions equal to the 2005 rate will still lead to increasing carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere and further temperature increase. Concentrations, not just emissions, need to be stabilized to stop temperature increase. That is why many people argue not for just maintaining the current level of emissions, but for decreasing them. The dark blue line on the figure 2 represents decreased carbon emission rate. To decrease emissions, even more carbon emissions must be eliminated represented by the larger yellow wedge.