What is Carbon dioxide (CO2)?

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a colourless, odourless gas that is a natural component of the Earth's atmosphere. It plays a vital role in the carbon cycle, which exchanges carbon between the Earth's oceans, atmosphere, and land through photosynthesis and respiration.

Carbon dioxide is a significant part of the atmosphere and is vital to the greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect occurs when certain gases in the Earth's atmosphere, including CO2, trap heat from the sun and prevent it from escaping into space. This trapped heat regulates the Earth's surface temperature, making it habitable for life. However, human activities, such as burning fossil fuels and deforestation, have significantly increased the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere. This has increased the greenhouse effect, raising the Earth's temperature and changing the climate.

It is widely acknowledged that CO2 is the most significant contributor to artificial climate change, responsible for about 63% of the warming effect caused by greenhouse gases. The increase in CO2 in the atmosphere has led to rising temperatures, more frequent and severe heat waves, changes in precipitation patterns, and rising sea levels. These changes have the potential to significantly impact ecosystems, agriculture, and human health and well-being.

Carbon dioxide is a natural component of the Earth's atmosphere, but human activities have significantly increased its concentration. It is widely acknowledged that CO2 is the most significant contributor to anthropogenic climate change and has the potential to impact ecosystems, agriculture, and overall well-being.

In support of this information, we present a selection of studies, facts, and figures:

• This increase is primarily due to human activities, such as burning fossil fuels and deforestation. (Source: IPCC, 2019)
• The IPCC also reports that CO2 is thought to be the most significant contributor to anthropogenic climate change, responsible for about 63% of the warming effect caused by greenhouse gases. (Source: IPCC, 2019)
• A study published in the journal Environmental Research Letters found that human activities have caused the Earth's climate to warm by about 1.0°C since the pre-industrial period. This warming is primarily due to the increase in CO2 in the atmosphere. (Source: Hausfather et al., 2019)
• The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has observed that the five warmest years have occurred since 2015, with 2020 being the warmest year on record. This trend is mainly due to increased greenhouse gases, such as CO2, in the atmosphere. (Source: NASA, 2021)
• The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reports that sea levels rise about 0.14 inches annually. This rate has nearly doubled over the last 30 years, primarily due to the melting of glaciers and ice sheets, exacerbated by increased CO2 in the atmosphere. (Source: NOAA, 2021)
• A study published in the journal Nature Climate Change found that the frequency of extreme heat waves has increased by about 50% since the 1950s. This trend is expected to continue as CO2 levels in the atmosphere continue to rise. (Source: Perkins-Kirkpatrick and Lewis, 2019)
• There is a growing scientific consensus that human activities, particularly the increase in CO2 in the atmosphere, contribute to climate change. According to a survey of peer-reviewed literature, 97% of climate scientists agree that human activities contribute to climate change. (Source: Cook et al., 2013)

I hope this information is helpful to you. Please do not hesitate to let us know if you have any further questions!