Climate Change & Doubling

Carbon Dioxide

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Cycle of carbon dioxide

This diagram of the fast carbon cycle

shows the movement of carbon between
land, atmosphere, and oceans in billions
of tons of carbon per year. Yellow
numbers are natural fluxes, red are
human contributions in billions of tons of
carbon per year. White numbers indicate
stored carbon.

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Carbon dioxide concentration during 160,000
years ago

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Carbon Dioxide observations from 2005 to 2014 showing the seasonal variations and the
difference between northern and southern hemispheres
 Doubling of carbon dioxide

• The concentration was 280 ppm during the 10,000

years up to the mid-18th century, increasing to 407
ppm as of mid-2017.

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• The increase has been caused by human activities,
particularly the burning of fossil
fuels and deforestation.

• This increase of CO2 and other greenhouse gases in

Earth's atmosphere has produced the current episode
of global warming.

• About 30–40% of the CO2released by humans into

the atmosphere dissolves into oceans, rivers and
lakes, which has produced ocean acidification.
 Impact of increasing CO2 levels in the atmosphere

• Increased photosynthesis and productivity by the

earth’s vegetation .
• Increased plant production also means increased
respiration .
• Elevated atmospheric CO2 is global warming
• Elevated CO2 means an increase in global
temperature - the greenhouse effect.
• Global temperatures may increase by 3C-4C by
the end of the next century .