Worldchanging: Bright Green: The Kaya Identity and the "Conservation Bomb"

Worldchanging: Bright Green: The Kaya Identity and the "Conservation Bomb": "The Kaya Identity and the 'Conservation Bomb'
JAMAIS CASCIO, 23 JUN 05
Not a spy thriller, the Kaya Identity is the formula which projects the amount of atmospheric CO2 as a function of population, GDP per capita, watts per dollar, and CO2 per watt. It's pretty straightforward: our carbon output depends on how much power we use, how efficiently we use it, and how 'dirty' the production is. Recall that current atmospheric carbon dioxide levels are just under 380 parts per million, and that the general consensus among climatologists is that (looking just at CO2), the climate is up for some serious problems once we hit the 440ppm level. With the Kaya Identity, we can calculate just what combination of factors would keep us below that level."