The Environmental Impact Of Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

The Environmental Impact of Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
Carbon Dioxide (CO2), a chemical made up of one carbon atom and two oxygen atoms, is a non-flammable, odorless and colorless gas that exists naturally in the atmosphere. CO2 is one of the greenhouse gases, amongst methane, nitrous oxide and other gases, which keeps the Earth’s temperature habitable (UCAR). Without it, the Earth will be inhospitably cold. However, ever since the mid-nineteenths century, humans have significantly increased the amount of CO2 emitted into the atmosphere, creating an imbalance. The gradual increase in CO2 concentration have been driving what is called global warming, which describes the current phenomenon of the increase in temperature of the Earth's surface and
However, since the Industrial Revolution began in 1750s, the discovery of utilizing fossil fuels have significantly increased the amount of CO2 emitted into the atmosphere, upsetting the balance (EPA). According to UCAR (University Corporation for Atmospheric Research), there was about 270 parts per million volume (ppmv) of CO2 in the atmosphere in the mid-19th Century, and now there is about 398 ppmv of CO2. This gradual increase have caused the greenhouse effect to strengthen, changing the Earth's climate, causing global warming.Carbon dioxide accounts for 72% of the warming effects of the emitted greenhouse gasses, therefore making CO2 emission a very significant cause of global warming. The main source of CO2 is the combustion of fossil fuels, which accounts for around 94% of the gas’s emission. In this process, the fossil fuels releases the carbon it contains into the atmosphere, which are compelled to combine with the oxygen molecules, creating carbon dioxide. Currently, the CO2 concentration in the atmosphere is rising at the rate of about one part per million per year. Meteorologists have estimated that the average temperature of the Earth will increase by 2.5 degrees celsius over the next century if this continues
This includes resulting a change in weather. Emerging evidences shows that global warming is already causing heat waves, droughts, and intense precipitation. Overall, a more extreme weather pattern. Also, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), sea levels are estimated to rise 1.2 meters by 2100 as glaciers melt and warming sea water expands. All of these changes will greatly impact the ecosystem, as all species have their natural habitats where they are able to co-exist and survive, and when the environment around them changes, they will have to migrate or adapt. If they are unable to do so quickly enough, the species will face extinction (NASA). For example, the shifting seasons have already cause the lifecycle of bees to fall out of sync with flowering plants. The mismatch have already caused around 30 percent of the bees to die off per year in the last decade (McDonnell). It is estimates by the IPCC that 20% to 30% percent of all species will be at risk of extinction over the next century if the temperature indeed increases by 2.5 degrees