What will happen if we do not cut carbon emissions?

If we don’t reduce carbon pollution from burning coal, oil, and gas, we will be leaving a legacy of extreme weather, poor air quality, less water in our rivers and streams, increased plant and animal extinctions, and extreme costs to future generations.

What is one reason that carbon dioxide is increasing in the atmosphere today?

Carbon dioxide concentrations are rising mostly because of the fossil fuels that people are burning for energy.

How long have scientists known about the problem of global warming?

The field of climate science stretches back almost 200 years. That’s right: Scientists have been studying our planet for that long. For more than 150 years, we’ve known that mining coal and burning fossil fuels produces heat-trapping gases.

What would happen if we didn’t have greenhouse gases?

Without any greenhouse gases, Earth would be an icy wasteland. Greenhouse gases keep our planet livable by holding onto some of Earth’s heat energy so that it doesn’t all escape into space. Just as too little greenhouse gas makes Earth too cold, too much greenhouse gas makes Earth too warm.

How can deforestation cutting down trees lead to an increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere?

The trees of tropical forests, like all green plants, take up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and release oxygen during photosynthesis. When forests are cut down, much of that stored carbon is released into the atmosphere again as CO2. This is how deforestation and forest degradation contribute to global warming.

Why do we need to reduce carbon emissions?

One of the biggest benefits of reducing carbon emissions is that it would decrease the number of deaths related to air pollution and help to ease pressure on healthcare systems. To achieve growth in the economy while still prioritising the reduction of carbon emissions, a decoupling between the two is needed.

When did scientists first warn about global warming?

The first, led by scientist Roger Revelle (1909-1991) in 1957 and published in the journal Tellus, found that the ocean will not absorb all of the carbon dioxide released in humanity’s industrial fuel emissions and that carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere could, therefore, rise significantly.