First evididence of methane hydrate positive feedback

[PS_RalphW]

Methane hydrate release in Antarctica not being consumed by bacteria and escaping to the atmosphere in large quantities.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment ... antarctica

Warming sea water could see massive release of methane, accelerating CO2 equivalent levels sharply

Potential for run-away greenhouse effect?

[UndercoverElephant]

Potential for run-away greenhouse effect?

No. Not runaway. This has happened before, and it eventually leads to a new stable state, not runaway warming. Just because we can't stop climate change, doesn't mean it won't eventually stop on its own.

[clv101]

Different people use different meanings for runaway. Some use the term to describe the trajectory towards a Venus like climate, some use the term to describe the situation where natural processes/feedbacks overwhelm anthropogenic emissions so that even if we did cut emissions dramatically, atmospheric concentrations continue to rise (for a while), ie we lose control we think we have today.

[UndercoverElephant]

Different people use different meanings for runaway. Some use the term to describe the trajectory towards a Venus like climate, some use the term to describe the situation where natural processes/feedbacks overwhelm anthropogenic emissions so that even if we did cut emissions dramatically, atmospheric concentrations continue to rise (for a while), ie we lose control we think we have today.

We've already lost control of the feedback mechanisms. For me "runaway greenhouse effect" means Venus, and there are people out there who actually believe that is what we're heading for.

[kenneal - lagger]

For a permanent Venus effect an awful lot more CO2 would have to enter the atmosphere than we have now because methane only stays in the atmosphere for about 25 years. So, yes, we could have a methane burp which could set us into a Venus scenario but it would most likely be for a geologically short time frame of somewhere over 25 years and then the earth would revert to a temperature governed by the CO2 content.

Not good at all for most of the current fauna and flora but not entirely fatal for all our species; some bacteria and viruses for instance. We still still don't have to worry about saving the planet just what lives on it.