Chapter 1- The Absolute Basics

Chapter Summary

This opening chapter points at the vital statistic for human life on our planet: the level of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

Why should 426 particles of CO2 in every million particles matter? It is a tiny amount. How could such small thing be such a big deal? Why should we be bothered about remote, abstract, scientific facts?

The Climate Academy is committed to providing a clear systemic viewpoint. Without this perspective, it is easy to miss what really matters.

Greenhouse gases matter because they raise the temperature of the atmosphere. And this temperature has to be understood systemically. Your body is a bio-system, and it cannot cope with even a small change in temperature across the system. It is called a fever, and it has miserable side effects. For a human being, an extra 4°C for the body is a medical emergency.

Likewise, the Earth is a large bio-system. You cannot suddenly shunt up the temperature up, without massive consequences.

This book starts with these absolutely basic system facts. These facts are not visible without the help of scientific research and graphs. But they really do matter.