| WHAT DOES 350 MEAN? |
| - It's the sustainable Level of CO2 in the earth's atmosphere - |
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Its a three figure story: 350 molecules of CO2 per one million molecules of all the molecules that make up the earth’s atmosphere – that is what scientists around the world have defined as a sustainable level – a level at which life on earth can keep going. And that is all life: plants, insects, birds, fish, and all the other animals including us humans. From the beginning of humanity up until AD 1800 – just when white men started settling in Australia - the level of CO2 in the atmosphere was stable at 275 parts per million. That was the ideal concentration under which all the nature we know today developed. Today we are at 387 - yes, above the necessary 350 - and rising by 2 parts per million every year. This will be the reason for some to put their head in the sand and wait for the end. To me it is the ultimate wake up call. It is absolutely crucial that we take every step possible to avert further rises and indeed try to reduce the level of CO2 aiming for 350. Everything we know is at stake here. |
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- We've got to change the ways we do things and even the way we think. We are part of nature and it is our responsibility to keep it going. - |
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