Stu - Here's my response

On an unnamed climate hysteria propaganda blog, a commentator named Stu asked me to comment on this post by Anthony Watts. The unnamed host of this propaganda blog twice declined to publish my response. Of course, the host could decide to publish my comment at any time in the future. Such are the silly childish games played at that site.

Well, Stu, here’s my twice censored reply (verbatim):

I read only what Watts posted.

Like Watts, I would approach this with caution. It seems to suggest that -- if we witness another cooling trend similar to roughly 1940-1979 -- we might see a drop in atmospheric CO2 levels. It’s possible, but I doubt it -- I’ll get back to that shortly.

Beyond that, the study seems to be fundamentally in agreement with what is born out in every ice core study -- that during each of the previous 6 interglacial warming periods, temperature has primarily driven CO2, not the other way around.

This is not to deny the physics of (the logarithmic nature) of CO2 energy absorption, only to put into proper perspective the primary relationship between temperature and CO2. As temperatures rise, CO2 is released from the oceans -- with, on average, an 800 year lag. As temperatures drop, CO2 is reabsorbed into the oceans -- with, on average a 2,000 to 4,000 year lag. Given how slowly CO2 is reabsorbed, I doubt a 40 year cooling trend would significantly drop the atmospheric CO2 levels.

The fact that CO2 remains elevated for 2,000 to 4,000 years AFTER temperatures plunge into the next glacial period speaks to just how weak a forcing factor CO2 really is -- relative to other forcing factors.

Click here to fully substantiate each of the above assertions via directly cited peer reviewed science.

Now, if that study plays into the current fear mongering over ocean pH, I say this:

1) Dr. Lubos Motl addresses that baloney as well as anybody. It’s hard to get worked up when even the IPCC predicts the oceans will remain on the alkaline side of a neutral pH (7.8) even by 2100, even if we do NOTHING to reduce CO2 emissions.

2) For those who fret over coral reefs, click here and begin to grasp just how resilient and adaptable life on this planet really is.