When applied to complex earth system processes, where
several irreversible processes compete to deplete the same gradients, it is easily shown that the maximum thermodynamic efficiency is much less than the classic Carnot limit, so that the ability of the earth system to generate power and disequilibrium is limited.
Over what time period might this savannization
process release carbon «equivalent to
several years of worldwide carbon emissions», and how does that affect the assessment offered by Gore, Hansen and others that we have perhaps ten years in which to substantially reduce CO2 emissions to avoid
irreversible catastrophic warming?