Climate change, do we really create that much emissions?

Question

I have been reading that we as humans only produce something like 5% of all CO2 emissions, the rest is from volcanic eruptions, forest fires etc etc.

is this true or is it a load of codswallop?

Answer 1

Cally gave a good answer

we have also removed half of the world s forests that handle the natural management of carbon emissions in partnership with the oceans

Dana or Bob are good with numbers ,i am sure they will tell you

Trevor was Ace but he has been absent for a while

Jello is an expert on cods wallop he wont disappoint you either i am sure he is very dedicated.

Answer 2

Humans dont emit much compared to overall co2,

however the issue is that carbon was in a natural equilibrium, current emissions are disrupting this and producing more than can be absorbed, which in consequence is causing more co2 to be emitted (positive feedback)

Answer 3

The vast majority of CO2 emissions comes from the ocean.  It is true that humans only account for 5%.  More importanly CO2 makes up less than 0.5% of the atmosphere.  A change that small will not change the climate on planet Earth.

the 5% does include all fossil fuel burnings.  Anyone who tells you differently has no idea what they are talking about.

Answer 4

You are looking at this thing the wrong way. The earth has a natural carbon cycle. Anything that man does just adds on top of what is already there.

Here is a good article from NASA to explain the human role in the carbon cycle...

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Library...

Man also produces about 100 times more CO2 than volcanoes each year (US Geological Survey).

http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/volcanowatch/2007...

Answer 5

Yes maybe humans do only create 5% but add in car fumes,

coal burning,open fires.plus all you wrote as well.

look at China's air would you like to live and breathe in that.

Buses create heaps of fumes so do planes on take off, burning using a incinerator is another bad practise its banned in Australia.

When I was growing up my grandparents had a small market garden and a motto which I can see the sense in now "what comes out of the ground bury it back later" food that is recycled makes a wonderful pickup on your garden

Answer 6

It's true that humans emit a small amount of CO2 relative to natural sources, but those natural sources are in balance.  They absorb as much (actually slightly more) CO2 than they emit.  Human emissions from burning fossil fuels are throwing the cycle out of balance.

See Myth #7 at the link below for further details.

Answer 7

Humans only contribute around 80,000,000,000 tons of CO2 each year to the atmosphere.

Answer 8

here's a diagram;

http://www.globalchange.umich.edu/global...

Answer 9

Some expert say this is due to solar activity

Looking at historical graph you can see that CO2 don't increase before temperature gap, but after this. It's a consequence, not the cause, staying at this teory.