The Climate Clock is a digital clock that counts down the remaining time before Earth’s carbon emissions push global warming past a point of no return. This means that if greenhouse gasses like carbon dioxide continue to be released at the same rate, average global temperatures will rise more than 1.5 degrees Celsius, or about 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit, above the average temperature before the start of industrialization–something climate scientists have agreed upon is the threshold of permanent and lasting effects.
“In an ideal world we cut down on stuff like greenhouse gas emissions, but realistically that’s not going to happen,” junior Maxwell Mueller said. “We are rapidly accelerating the rate and intensity of global warming, but it is still inevitable.”
In September 2020, the Climate Change Clock was installed in place of the Metronome in Union Square. With the repurposing of the Metronome, a long-standing public art installation, the timer soon spread across the world, appearing in Berlin, Germany; Seoul, South Korea; and temporarily in Glasgow, Scotland and Rome, Italy.
In addition to the countdown, the Climate Change website displays other important statistics about social and environmental issues that connect with climate change. These metrics include:
- Indigenous Land Protected: This tracks the amount of Indigenous land that has been preserved or reclaimed. Indigenous lands often act as natural carbon sinks and therefore play an important role in the conservation of ecosystems.
- Percentage of Women in Politics Globally: Research shows that nations with higher percentages of women in leadership positions often have more extensive environmental policies. Gender equity is a critical aspect of the governmental aspect of climate change.
- Global Biodiversity Protected: This follows the percentage of globally safeguarded biodiversity– which is essential in maintaining ecosystem resilience.
- Carbon-Free Energy Progress: The website displays the global renewable energy percentage, as well as the progress in phasing out greenhouse gas-producing energy such as coal, oil and natural gas.
- Climate Justice Funding: This tracks funding allocated towards climate justice initiatives, especially in lower-income communities to help those impacted by the effects of climate change.
“This is an issue that’s so much more complex than it seems”. junior Sienna Yamins said. “There are so many aspects to look at– there’s never just one solution. I think it’s important in situations like this to keep an open mind and stay updated constantly.”
Recently, the Clock has reached the five-year mark–a reminder of just how limited the time to make a change is. If carbon emissions continue at current levels, climate scientists warn of the increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events, droughts, wildfires and rising sea levels, all of which will have immense economic and ecological consequences. With each passing day, the world gets closer to catastrophic events like forest dieback, polar cap melting and the uncovering of permafrost; the Climate Clock is simply a reminder.
The Climate Clock’s estimations come from data from the Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change in Germany. This institution monitors the remaining carbon budget to keep temperatures below the 1.5 degree Celsius mark.
The carbon budget is the total amount of greenhouse gasses that can be released without worsening the Greenhouse Effect. Currently, it is estimated to be around 400 gigatons of gasses.
Right now, annual carbon dioxide emission rates stand at around 40 gigatons per year and rising. This has led scientists to estimate that the budget will be exhausted within the next five years if there are no significant reductions.
With only five years left counting down on the clock, there are some key steps that need to be taken in order to protect the planet.
Firstly, the use of fossil fuel needs to be cut down, and renewable energy use must increase. Ever developing technologies like solar, wind, and hydroelectric energy can be tailored to specific environments, producing equally abundant energy, while still protecting the climate.
“It’s crazy to me that there’s so little time left.” sophomore Elena Zhuang said. “Too much of it is out of our hands, but we still have to suffer all of the consequences.”
Further strengthening the protection of biodiversity and indigenous land also allows for the natural state of land to be recovered. Active climate leadership and the implementation of carbon pricing can also strengthen policies in regards to climate preservation and create economic incentives to reduce emissions using taxes or cap-and-trade systems. Lastly, the implementation of carbon capture and storage can help reduce emissions from industrial processes, power plants, and other large sources by stopping the carbon before it reaches the atmosphere.
There are three main methods of capture: post-combustion capture, pre-combustion capture and oxy-fuel capture. The post-combustion capture separates the carbon dioxide from the flue, or byproduct, gas. Pre-combustion capture processes fuel before combustion to create a highly concentrated CO2 gas, making it easier to capture. Oxy-fuel combustion burns pure oxygen instead of air, creating a higher concentration of carbon dioxide gas.
Once the carbon is captured by any of the three methods, it is compressed into a liquid or dense gas, for easier transportation usually via pipelines, and then injected deep underground. Typically, it is sent to geological formations like depleted oil or gas fields, saline aquifers, or un-mineable coal seams, to securely trap the carbon.
The Climate Clock should not be a countdown to disaster; it is the possibility for change. If actions are taken to prevent the coming consequences, the time can be reset. With the seconds ticking, now is the time to make a difference.
