Why are scientists concerned about an increase in the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere?

Answer 1

Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is not a concern as long as the amount remains fairly constant, so that it helps sustain life and maintain our temperatue at a comfortable level, suitable for human existence. Because carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas, the present rapid rise in its atmospheric concentration is a concern because it is leading to global warming and climate change.

A warmer world might even sound desirable, but the long-term global trend to higher average temperatures poses a real risk to our economic and social well-being, as well as to the native creatures with which we share the planet.

Climate change is causing sea levels to rise. Not by much so far, but this is only the start. Higher sea levels, combined with the greater storm surges associated with climate change, will force people to abandon some prestige coastal properties. The inundation of New Orleans should have been a wake-up call, but many see this as a special case with no relevance elsewhere. Rich agricultural coastal flood plains will become salinated and unproductive.

Floods will become more frequent and more severe in some areas, while droughts will similarly become more frequent and more severe in others. Analysis of hurricane activity shows that severe hurricanes are becoming more frequent and more destructive, as a result of increased atmospheric thermal energy. Frequent storm damage to properties will cause insurance premiums to rise until some can no longer even afford to insure their houses.

Wildlife will suffer from loss of appropriate habitat and from heat stress. Some corals will die back as sea levels rise and they no longer receive sufficient sunlight, while others will be bleached by the rising temperatures and acidity.

Answer 2

With the level of carbon dioxide rising, the Earth will heat up at rapid speed. This will result in ice caps melting, oceans overflowing, etc.

Because co2 is a greenhouse gas. It traps infrared radiation reflected from the earth.

Answer 3

Carbon dioxide is a concern because that tiny percentage is building up year by year and causing global warming.

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What you need to appreciate is that CO2 is a "greenhouse" gas, its presence in the atmosphere even at very low levels traps (that is reflects back to Earth) infrared radiation. This means that more of the heat form the Sun hitting the Earth each day is kept in the Earths atmosphere rather then reflecting out into space each night. If we had no CO2 the Earth would freeze over, If we have just a little more CO2 than we have now then the Ice caps will melt.

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Carbon dioxide makes up a very small part of the atmosphere, but it has been enough to keep the planet warm for millions of years.

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Trees and land put 439 billion tons (or gigatons GT) of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere every year, and remove 450 GT. Oceans emit 332 GT annually, and remove 338 GT.

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Humans are putting 29 GT of carbon dioxide into the air every year mostly from burning fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas). Some of this is absorbed by the natural carbon cycle, but most of it is not. So this is building up every year.

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Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has increased from around 280 ppm at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution (when we began burning fossil fuels) to the present 400 ppm (parts per million)

Answer 4

Most scientists are concerned about it, because CO2 is a heat trapping gas and the 30 billion tons humans emit each year are already having a global environmental impact which is expected to reverberate for centuries yet to come. Furthermore, we have done very little to curtail our greenhouse gas emissions since discovering the drawbacks of excessive consumption.

Answer 5

A very small amount (0.028%) of carbon dioxide (CO2) has been enough to keep the earth warm for millions of years. Since the Industrial Revolution we have been burning fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas). This burning adds extra CO2 to the atmosphere and is causing global warming. Carbon dioxide levels are now touching 0.04%.

Answer 6

They worry about several potential problems.To much CO2 causes warming of the climate. In turn:

• This thaws the permafrost frost releasing methane with increases the warming rates
  
• As a side benefit of losing ice the stresses on the earth's crust charge causing earthquakes
• This melts the ice caps causing flooding in costal areas
  
• Less ice allows the seas to warm more making problems worse
  
• It also causes a change in e\Earth's clime which results in droughts and moree extreme weather problems
  
• It also disturbs the Gul Stream which will cool Europe
  
• arms weather will allow tropical insects peats to travel northward
  
• More CO2 makes the oceans more acidic killing coral, clams and other shellfish.
  
• Warmer water prevents fish from breeding, allows invasive species to move other wiping out food fish populations
  
• Warmer water has less oxygen making more areas of the ocean into dead zones
  

Answer 7

Not some- all reputable scientists are worried.They worry about several potential problems.Too much CO2 causes warming of the climate. In turn:

• This thaws the permafrost frost releasing methane with increases the warming rates
  
• As a side benefit of losing ice the stresses on the earth's crust charge causing earthquakes
• This melts the ice caps causing flooding in costal areas
  
• Less ice allows the seas to warm more making problems worse
  
• It also causes a change in e\Earth's clime which results in droughts and moree extreme weather problems
  
• It also disturbs the Gul Stream which will cool Europe
  
• arms weather will allow tropical insects peats to travel northward
  
• More CO2 makes the oceans more acidic killing coral, clams and other shellfish.
  
• Warmer water prevents fish from breeding, allows invasive species to move other wiping out food fish populations
  
• Warmer water has less oxygen making more areas of the ocean into dead zones

Answer 8

Because if there is an excess of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere, than the gases will create a sort of "greenhouse" effect. Raising the World Temperature significantly.

Answer 9

With rising CO2, it could someday cause a tipping point that would cause runaway temperature rise.