For all of human history prior to the industrial revolution the carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere remained fairly constant due to the natural carbon cycle depicted on the left to the diagram above.
Beginning at the industrial evolution, humans added to the carbon cycle. Coal and oil, which trapped carbon millions of years ago, began to be mined for fuel. This human addition to the carbon cycle is depicted at the right of the above diagram. Thus humans through the natural carbon cycle completely out of wack—it was no longer in balance and more carbon dioxide was been added to the atmosphere than was being removed. This imbalance as esabertated through land clearing as, humans were reducing he number of trees on the planet—removing the natural part of the carbon cycle which removed the carbon from the atmosphere.
In summary then:
In summary then:
- Humans, via using coal and oil as fuels began adding carbon dioxide to the atmosphere at unnatural levels.
- Humans, via removing tree, began removing the natural part of the carbon cycle that removed carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
- The only possible result, therefore, being that carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere must continually increase.
The video below describes the carbon cycle and explains how the carbon dioxide layer in our atmosphere acts to warm our planet.
Before the industrial revolution, when the carbon cycle was in balance the "greenhouse effect" of the carbon layer kept the planet warm enough to sustain life. When humans started adding to the thickness of the carbon dioxide layer through using coal and oil as fuel and through removing trees, the "greenhouse effect" meant the only outcome could be continual warming of the planet until life on it becomes impossible.
Further Reading
- Humans Are Disturbing Earth's Carbon Cycle More Than the Dinosaur-Killing Asteroid Did by Brandon Specktor
- Carbon Dioxide Levels in the Atmosphere Hit Highest Level in 3 Million Years by Jordan Davidson 26 Feb 2020
- Restoring soils could remove up to ‘5.5bn tonnes’ of greenhouse gases every year - Bossio et al. (2020) This is just under the current annual emissions of the US, the world’s second largest polluter after China. Around 40% of this carbon offsetting potential would come from protecting existing soil carbon stores in the world’s existing forests, peatlands and wetlands, the authors say.
- Viruses expected to increase with global warming – expert
Population growth, loss of natural habitats likely to bring wild animals into more contact with humans, easing way for infectious diseases to jump between species. - Coronavirus pandemic triggers reduction in global air pollution - MICHAEL D'ESTRIES (2020) As the coronavirus pandemic takes hold and triggers lockdowns in major urban centers, researchers studying air pollution data are recording significant improvements in air quality levels. The shift is so dramatic that some believe these short-term reductions could end up saving many more lives than are lost to the virus itself.
