Sylvie Willis
Carbon is the fourth most abundant element in the universe and is the primary building block of life on Earth. It is found in all living things, soils, the ocean, and the atmosphere. The carbon cycle describes the process by which carbon atoms travel from the atmosphere to the Earth and then back into the atmosphere. Human activities, especially the burning of fossil fuels, have dramatically increased the exchange of carbon from the ground back into the atmosphere and oceans. This has led to a rapid rise in carbon dioxide concentrations, causing global warming and climate change. Fossil fuel companies are huge polluters, and scientists warn that emissions must be halved within 11 years to limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Carbon cycle | Describes the process in which carbon atoms continually travel from the atmosphere to the Earth and then back into the atmosphere |
| Human activities | Burning fossil fuels, changing land use, and using limestone to make concrete all transfer significant quantities of carbon into the atmosphere |
| Carbon dioxide concentrations | Rising mostly because of the fossil fuels burned for energy |
| Carbon storage | The ocean is a giant carbon sink that absorbs carbon |
| Fossil fuels | Coal, oil, and natural gas |
| Impact of fossil fuels | Coal is responsible for over 0.3C of the 1C increase in global average temperatures. Oil releases about a third of the world's total carbon emissions. Natural gas accounts for a fifth of the world's total carbon emissions |
| Carbon cycle impact | Land and ocean plants and the ocean have taken up about 55% of the extra carbon put into the atmosphere by humans, while about 45% has stayed in the atmosphere |
| Carbon cycle reservoirs | The atmosphere, biosphere, geosphere, and hydrosphere |
| Carbon cycle processes | Photosynthesis, fire, the burning of fossil fuels, weathering, and volcanism |
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What You'll Learn
The carbon cycle
Carbon is the fourth most abundant element in the universe and the primary building block of life on Earth. It is present in all living things, the air we breathe, and the food we eat. The carbon cycle is an essential part of how the Earth's system works. It describes the process by which carbon atoms continually travel from the atmosphere to the Earth and then back into the atmosphere.
Carbon cycles through the atmosphere, biosphere, geosphere, and hydrosphere via processes such as photosynthesis, respiration, combustion, fire, the burning of fossil fuels, weathering, and volcanism. Most of Earth's carbon is stored in rocks and sediments, with the rest located in the ocean, atmosphere, and living organisms. These are the reservoirs or sinks through which carbon cycles. The ocean, for example, plays a critical role in carbon storage, holding about 50 times more carbon than the atmosphere.
Human activities have had a significant impact on the carbon cycle, particularly through the burning of fossil fuels, which releases vast amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, when people first started burning fossil fuels, carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere have risen from about 280 parts per million to 387 parts per million, a 39% increase. This increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide has led to a rise in global temperatures, causing climate change.
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Fossil fuels and climate change
Fossil fuels are derived from the burial of photosynthetic organisms, including plants on land (which primarily forms coal) and plankton in the oceans (which primarily forms oil and natural gas). While buried, this carbon is removed from the carbon cycle for millions of years to hundreds of millions of years. The carbon cycle describes the process in which carbon atoms continually travel from the atmosphere to the Earth and then back into the atmosphere.
Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, when people first started burning fossil fuels, carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere have risen from about 280 parts per million to 387 parts per million, a 39% increase. This means that for every million molecules in the atmosphere, 387 of them are now carbon dioxide—the highest concentration in two million years. Human activities have a tremendous impact on this cycle. Burning fossil fuels, changing land use, and using limestone to make concrete all transfer massive quantities of carbon into the atmosphere. As a result, the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is rapidly rising; it is already considerably greater than at any time in the last 3.6 million years.
The ocean plays a critical role in carbon storage, as it holds about 50 times more carbon than the atmosphere. Two-way carbon exchange can occur quickly between the ocean’s surface waters and the atmosphere, but carbon may be stored for centuries at the deepest ocean depths. The ocean absorbs much of the carbon dioxide that is released from burning fossil fuels. This extra carbon dioxide is lowering the ocean’s pH, through a process called ocean acidification. Ocean acidification interferes with the ability of marine organisms (including corals, Dungeness crabs, and snails) to build their shells and skeletons.
Coal is a fossil fuel and is the dirtiest of them all, responsible for over 0.3 degrees Celsius of the 1-degree increase in global average temperatures. This makes it the single largest source of global temperature rise. Oil releases a huge amount of carbon when burned—approximately a third of the world’s total carbon emissions. Natural gas is still a fossil fuel and accounts for a fifth of the world’s total carbon emissions. Fossil fuel companies remain huge polluters, producing and selling fossil fuel products while scientists say we need a mass switch to renewable energy and efficiency.
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How fossil fuels are formed
Fossil fuels are compound mixtures made of fossilized plant and animal remnants from millions of years ago. The creation of fossil fuels, such as oil, natural gas, or coal, is determined by the type of fossil, the amount of heat, and the pressure applied. The energy in fossil fuels comes from the sun, which drives photosynthesis to change carbon dioxide and water into the molecular building blocks of ancient plants and animals.
Plants and animals build their bodies using predominantly carbon and hydrogen atoms, and it is the stored energy in the fossilized hydrocarbon-type compounds that serve as fuel when burned. Fossil fuels are derived from the burial of photosynthetic organisms, including plants on land (which primarily form coal) and plankton in the oceans (which primarily forms oil and natural gas).
As the fossil material gets buried deeper and deeper underground, it is subjected to increased heat and pressure. The fossil molecules begin to break apart, and the initial breakdown creates partially changed materials, like peat from plants and kerogen from plankton. These transitional materials can be used as fuel sources too, however, they have less stored energy than fully formed fossil fuels. After millions of years underground, the compounds that make up plankton and plants turn into fossil fuels.
Plankton decomposes into natural gas and oil, while plants become coal. Today, humans extract these resources through coal mining and the drilling of oil and gas wells on land and offshore. They are sought after because they contain stored energy, and when burned, fossil fuels power machinery and provide transportation, as well as the electricity essential to modern-day life.
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Impact of fossil fuels on the ocean
Carbon is the chemical backbone of life on Earth. It regulates the Earth's temperature, forms the food that sustains us, and provides energy that fuels our global economy. The carbon cycle describes the process in which carbon atoms continually travel from the atmosphere to the Earth and then back into the atmosphere. On Earth, most carbon is stored in rocks and sediments, while the rest is located in the ocean, atmosphere, and living organisms.
Human activities have a significant impact on the carbon cycle. The burning of fossil fuels, changing land use, and using limestone to make concrete all transfer massive quantities of carbon into the atmosphere. As a result, the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is rapidly rising; it is already greater than at any time in the last 3.6 million years. The ocean absorbs much of the carbon dioxide that is released from burning fossil fuels. This extra carbon dioxide is lowering the ocean's pH, through a process called ocean acidification.
Ocean acidification occurs when carbon dioxide (CO2) dissolves into seawater, causing a series of chemical changes. When water (H2O) and CO2 mix, they combine to form carbonic acid (H2CO3). In the past 200 years, ocean water has become 30% more acidic, faster than any known change in ocean chemistry in the last 50 million years. This relatively quick change in ocean chemistry does not give marine life much time to adapt. Ocean acidification interferes with the ability of marine organisms (including corals, Dungeness crabs, and snails) to build their shells and skeletons.
The ocean provides a vital service to our planet by regulating atmospheric CO2 levels and limiting climate change. However, a small change in the fluxes to the ocean carbon pool could impact the ocean's storage capacity and, in turn, impact atmospheric CO2 levels. The IAEA works with member states to gain a better understanding of the carbon cycle processes and stocks of carbon, which can be used to construct climate models to predict the impacts of climate change.
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Reducing fossil fuel emissions
Carbon is the primary building block of life on Earth, regulating the planet's temperature and providing the energy that fuels the global economy. Carbon compounds are found in all living things, soils, the ocean, and the atmosphere. The carbon cycle, which encompasses nearly all life, sets the thermostat for Earth's climate.
Human activities, particularly the burning of fossil fuels, have significantly increased the exchange of carbon from the ground back into the atmosphere and oceans. This has resulted in a rapid rise in carbon dioxide concentrations, which are already greater than at any time in the last 3.6 million years. The extra carbon dioxide is causing ocean acidification, interfering with the ability of marine organisms to build their shells and skeletons. It is also contributing to the formation of smog and acid rain, which have harmful effects on human health and the environment.
To reduce fossil fuel emissions, individuals can make changes in their homes. In Canada, for example, water heaters and space heating account for a significant proportion of energy use and GHG emissions in households. Switching from fossil fuels to electric heating, such as heat pumps, can significantly decrease emissions at home. Heat pumps are energy-efficient, work in cold weather, and can save money in the long run. Additionally, using less energy by turning off electrical equipment when not in use, and investing in energy-efficient appliances, can help to conserve energy and reduce emissions.
On a larger scale, countries can take action by joining initiatives such as the Global Methane Pledge, which aims for a 70% reduction in methane emissions from fossil fuel operations. Diplomatic pressure, incentives, and technical assistance can also encourage reductions from trading partners. Businesses can play their part by understanding and managing their greenhouse gas emissions, setting long-term targets for reduction, and increasing energy efficiency.
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Frequently asked questions
Fossil fuels are responsible for vast amounts of carbon being released into the atmosphere. Since the Industrial Revolution, carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere have risen from 280 parts per million to 387 parts per million, a 39% increase.
The carbon cycle is a natural process where carbon atoms travel from the atmosphere to the Earth and then back into the atmosphere. By burning fossil fuels, humans are disrupting this cycle, causing a rise in carbon dioxide levels and a subsequent increase in global temperatures.
Coal, oil, and natural gas are the primary sources of carbon emissions from fossil fuels. Coal is the largest contributor, responsible for over 0.3°C of the 1°C increase in global temperatures. Oil releases approximately one-third of the world's carbon emissions, while natural gas accounts for one-fifth.
To reduce carbon emissions from fossil fuels, a transition to renewable energy sources is necessary. This involves phasing out the use of fossil fuels and investing in alternatives such as solar, wind, and hydroelectric power. Additionally, reducing our reliance on fossil fuels through energy conservation and efficiency measures can also help lower carbon emissions.
