Past emissions will impact the climate for hundreds of years, finds study

A new study published by University of Washington researchers says the top 178 oil, gas, coal and cement producers have left a much more lasting impact than earlier predicted.

A new study published by University of Washington researchers says the top 178 oil, gas, coal and cement producers have left a much more lasting impact than earlier predicted | Representative Image

New Delhi: Scientists have built several sophisticated methods to connect extreme weather events to climate change, but now they have also proven that past emissions from major polluters are likely to impact the environment for decades to come.

A new study published on 23 September in PLOS Climate by researchers at the University of Washington found that the top 178 oil, gas, coal and cement producers have left a much more lasting impact than earlier predicted.

“We know that fossil fuel emissions have caused a lot of warming, and we’re seeing the impacts of that, but the question is: How long does that warming last into the future?” Dargan Frierson, a UW associate professor of atmospheric and climate science, said in a statement.

What the study highlights is that even if all greenhouse gas emissions were to stop or even reduce drastically tomorrow, the environment would take a long time to go back to how it used to be before the industrial revolution. Since then the major polluters have emitted over a trillion tons of carbon dioxide, much of which will remain in the air, trapping heat for hundreds of years.

“The amount of warming is calculable and relatively independent of future emissions. If there are legal decisions about accountability, the responsibility is not just now, it will continue for many many years into the future,” Frierson added.

The relationship between greenhouse gases and global warming is hardly new, but holding emitters accountable has long been a challenge. Several companies deny knowing how dangerous their emissions could be — which allows them to evade taking responsibility for their actions.

The new study shows that past emissions could be the reason for even more climate disasters in the next few decades.

“This is important for current decisions about fossil fuels. Future fossil fuel production will exacerbate climate disasters for many decades to come, so new legal battles about who is accountable should be expected for many years,” Frierson said.