Don't Let That Out

Global warming making earth ‘greener’

"THE planet is getting lusher, and we are responsible. Carbon dioxide generated by human activity is stimulating photosynthesis and causing a beneficial greening of the Earth's surface. For the first time, researchers claim to have shown that the increase in plant cover is due to this "CO2 fertilisation effect" rather than other causes. However, it remains unclear whether the effect can counter any negative consequences of global warming, such as the spread of deserts.

Recent satellite studies have shown that the planet is harbouring more vegetation overall, but pinning down the cause has been difficult. Factors such as higher temperatures, extra rainfall, and an increase in atmospheric CO2 – which helps plants use water more efficiently – could all be boosting vegetation."

We told you that would happen, didn't we.

Of course, there is no doubt that all this is due to human activity, but we have to be cautious about which specifically, is the cause - the higher temps (which, btw, have flat-lined), the extra rainfall (which, btw, is the opposite of what they told us would happen), or the increase in atmospheric CO2.