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There are far greater costs to not cutting emissions now. 15-40% of CO2 remains in the atmosphere for upwards of 1000 years: https://www.skepticalscience.com/co2-residence-time.htm

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Your link pretty much says "on average the CO2 stays in the atmosphere for 3-4 years, but if we change the definition, then it's up to 1000 years".

No it does not. For a supposed MIT grad with a PhD I would expect excellent reading comprehension and the ability to understand scientific fields even when outside of your main one. Given your comments and misunderstandings here and elsewhere I am inclined to think you are not. Read the IPCC reports, if you don't have time, look at the summary for policy makers, particularly the physical science basis.

Do you understand the difference between average and 15-40%? How about the difference between average and median, non-normal distributions, etc.?

There's no changing of definitions from anyone except yourself in your misleading "quote".

Here's a more accessible article: http://www.nature.com/climate/2008/0812/full/climate.2008.12...

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