There is too much good science that supports the notion of human-influenced climate change -and associated issues like CO2 increase. Is increase of CO2 according to projected levels based on the last century’s increase -definitely caused by humans- a great thing? Like many things a deep look with appropriate research humility is required. Yes the plant world is somewhat greener but a deeper look warrants caution. Changing the biosphere through lack of respect (something difficult to monetize) is not the same as pumping CO2 into a greenhouse for selective production.

In 2009 scientists grew various crops in a greenhouse with a CO2 concentration expected in the future. One of those crops was Cassava which is “the third largest source of dietary carbohydrates” in the tropics. The high CO2 resulted in stunted finger-sized tubers, rather than yam-sized ones. In addition the leaves, used in some African countries “as a protein supplement”, were now poisonous. The summary of this can be read in “Tiny Tubers” The Scientist, September 30, 2009. That’s a long enough time ago that CO2 promoters `should’ have taken this into account -if they actually read the science. In addition, in general higher CO2 results in less nutritious plants.

In another, 4 1/2 year, CO2 experiment cyanobacteria were exposed to a similar high CO2 environment, resulting in the experimental ocean water acidification. “The cyanobacteria responded with increased growth and higher nitrogen fixation rates. When returned to lower CO2 levels, the T. erythraeum did not decrease their growth or nitrogen fixation rates.” This experiment ran through 850 generations of cyanobacteria. The study had other nuances. It raised the question: “There are so many microbes that drive the nutrient cycle functions of the world. What about all these other ones? Are they going to [do] things that are unexpected in response to anthropogenic change?” The summary can be read in “Adapting to Elevated CO2” The Scientist, September 1, 2015. The question I will pose is what could this cause, huge algae blooms, altering the ocean ecosystem?

More recently it has been demonstrated that oceans did not used to be blue, but green, because of ocean chemistry but to a large extent because of proliferation of cyanobacteria. This research assumed atmospheric conditions similar to what we have now. But there is concern in observing that now oceans, like land plants are also becoming more green but in the case of oceans this is largely because of phytoplankton blooms from human influenced climate factors, principally temperature. We can expect with more CO2 that cyanobacteria will again also add to this ocean ecosystem alteration of becoming green.

Although I agree that climate change and CO2 increase will be weaponized, like the 2009 H1N1 scare almost was and the 2019 SARS-CoV2 was, but that doesn’t mean it is not an issue. And that all scientists that are concerned are conspiring in some deception or locked in some delusion. I have previously noted the climate scientist Katherine Hayhoe, the unlikely combination of being an evangelical Christian AND a climate scientist with a natural innocence, should be consulted for balance. In the world of biology, rarely mentioned in discussing models and cyclones there are many crises because of climate change and other human effects on Nature (“Nature” capitalized because I love Nature -so is this a religious pathology, or is love of Nature a natural ‘religious’ expression?). Massive declines in land animals, insects, amphibians, song birds, seabirds, many plant species and more. Species moving higher in altitude and latitude. Monarch butterflies threatened (used for justified iconic appeal). Humans will have to make appropriate sacrifices; the right leaders are needed to navigate between Scylla and Charybdis.

A note: In an debate about the effects of increasing CO2, John Kerry, somewhat frustrated exclaimed, ‘We didn’t evolved in a high CO2 environment!’ No, we didn’t, which is my point of bringing in biology. Sometimes the people on the other side have to be listened to.