In the long river of geological history, there is one period that stands out in particular, and that is about 2The Carney period 3.3 billion years ago. During this period, the Earth experienced a massive rainfall event that lasted millions of years, known as the "Carney Flood Event". The climate was unusually humid and heavy rainfall was widespread around the world, with profound impacts on ecosystems and biodiversity.
Earlier this year, scientists warned that the Earth's temperature had already exceeded 1The threshold of 1°C, particularly warm areas exceed 2 degrees Celsius, and the concentration of greenhouse gases has been rising since 2016 and will get hotter and hotter. Last year, Australia's spontaneous bushfires continued, and the epidemic virus has continued to rage in the past two years, will it be related to the rise in temperature, and 2024 will become the hottest summer on record? Now, with the global warming caused by human activities, we have to ask: if the average temperature of the Earth were to rise by another 5 degrees, would it trigger a climate upheaval similar to the Carney flood event?
First, let's understand the background of the Carney flood event. The occurrence of this event is associated with a variety of geological and climatic factors, including but not limited to plate tectonic movements, rising greenhouse gas concentrations, and possible changes in ocean circulation. The combination of these factors has led to an intensification of the atmospheric-water cycle and a long-term global humid climate.
Now, scientists are warning that if we don't take effective action to control greenhouse gas emissions and the Earth's temperature continues to rise by 5 degrees Celsius at its current rate, the global climate system could come under unprecedented pressure. In this scenario, the melting of polar glaciers accelerates, sea levels rise, and if the global average temperature rises by 4 to 5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, sea levels will rise by 10 to 60 metres from today. At the same time, the likelihood of extreme precipitation events will increase significantly as warmer climates increase the amount of moisture in the air.
Although the specific causes of modern climate change and Carney flood events differ, both involve key climate feedback mechanisms, especially the strengthening of the greenhouse effect. In addition, factors such as the movement of tropical rain belts, the instability of monsoon systems, and changes in ocean circulation patterns may trigger large-scale and long-lasting rainfall events in future high temperature environments.
However, it is important to note that while global warming may lead to a surge in rainfall in some areas, severe droughts may occur in others, as a warming climate can disrupt the water cycle and cause rainfall to be more unevenly distributed. Therefore, the future world climate will not simply repeat the historical scene of the Carney period, but will present a more complex and changeable pattern.
In summary, while a 5-degree increase in Earth's temperature may pose climate challenges similar to those associated with Carney flood events, such as increased extreme rainfall events and drastic changes in ecosystems, given the complexity of the Earth system itself and the unique drivers of current climate change, it is impossible to say for sure whether a million-year flood event will be replicated on a global scale, given the complexity of the Earth system itself and the unique drivers of current climate change. However, it is certainly a wake-up call that we must actively respond to climate change in order to prevent potentially catastrophic consequences.