Dec. 10, 2008 -- As humanity wrings ever more fossil fuels from our planet, the question of when the taps will start to run dry -- when "peak oil" will occur -- looms ever closer on the horizon. Some say a decade, maybe two. Some say it's already passed. No one is sure. Whatever the answer, new research has come to the ominous conclusion that slackening oil and gas supplies could actually accelerate the pace of global warming. If it seems counter-intuitive, consider that generating a kilowatt hour of energy by burning oil pumps 274 grams of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Natural gas is cleaner, accounting for 202 grams. But coal is by far the worst polluter, clocking in at 331 grams of CO2 per kilowatt hour (a kilowatt hour is when 1000 watts of energy is used for one hour). As the oil and gas begin to dry up, coal could move in to fill the demand for energy, Pushker Karecha of the Goddard Institute for Space Studies at Columbia University explained. And unless the carbon it emits is captured and sequestered underground, it will saturate the atmosphere, pushing temperatures ever higher and worsening a host of global environmental problems. Related Content: Project Earth How Stuff Works: Carbon Footprints Global Warming: What You Need to Know In a series of calculations, Karecha and co-author James Hansen, also of Goddard, suggest that major climate damage could be avoided even if oil and gas production continue unabated, and are allowed to peter out as reserves dwindle. "Those two fossil fuels couldn't keep us in the danger zone for very long," Karecha said, referring to a CO2 concentration of 450 parts per million in the atmosphere or higher. Right now, the concentration is about 385 part per million, which Karecha said is already "undesirably high," adding, "but we must reduce coal emissions. Coal has the potential to keep us in the danger zone for a very long time, well past the year 2150." Karecha and Hansen will present their work in San Francisco next week at the Fall meeting of the American Geophysical Union. Get More NewsSpiders, Scorpions Among World's Oldest CreaturesMany creepy crawlies have been on Earth much longer than previously believed.Blood-Sucking Vampire Bats Sing DuetsWhite-winged vampire bats "harmonize" with separated roost mates.Oldest Hebrew Writing Possibly FoundAncient inscriptions on a 3,000-year-old pottery shard could make history.Rare, Prehistoric-Age Reptile Found in N.Z.A tuatara has been spotted on the New Zealand mainland for the first time in 200 years.Iceman Has No Living RelativesOetzi, the 5,300 year-old frozen mummy, left no living genetic legacy.SLIDE SHOW: Landscapes of TerrorWhat makes a place feel scary? There are scientific explanations.It's Official: People Are Warming the PolesHumans are conclusively to blame for polar warming, say scientists.Eight-Armed Animal Preceded DinosaursWhat may be one of Earth's first animals was no bigger than a coaster and had eight arms.Phoenicians Live on in People's GenesOne in 17 Mediterranean men may be descended from ancient Phoenicians.Pesticides, Fertilizers Linked to Frog DeclineA pesticide is found to promote parasites among amphibians.Hubble Telescope Taking Photos AgainThe Hubble Space Telescope is once again snapping stunning photos of the universe.Andean Mummy Hairs Show Hallucinogen UseScientists find direct evidence of hallucinogenic drug use among ancient Andeans.Opals on Mars Reveal Planet's Long Wet PastOpals found on Mars suggest the planet has been wet for much longer. |
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