The Effects of Carbon Dioxide on Climate and Methods for Removing Carbon Dioxide from the Atmosphere

Since the 18th century, when the Industrial Revolution took place, the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has increased by 50%. This increase has caused the Earth to warm more and led to climate change. As a result of extracting and burning fossil fuels located underground or on the ocean floor, the carbon dioxide stored in fossil fuels has also begun to be released and mix into the atmosphere. This situation can be shown as one of the most important reasons for the increase in the carbon dioxide rate. The disruption of Earth's natural carbon cycle is also an inevitable consequence of the increasing amount of carbon dioxide.

What Is Carbon Dioxide? 

Carbon dioxide is a heat-trapping gas that arises as a result of activities such as the extraction and burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas, as well as natural events like forest fires or volcanic eruptions. Carbon dioxide (CO2), which consists of one carbon atom and two oxygen atoms, is also formed during fermentation or the respiration of animals. Highly important due to its relationship with global warming, this gas is colorless and odorless. However, carbon dioxide gas in higher concentrations has an acidic odor. The element that makes up carbon dioxide, which is the primary greenhouse gas, is carbon. An non-metallic chemical element, carbon is located in group 14 of the periodic table. 

The accumulation of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere prevents some of the radiant energy from the earth from returning to space. This means heat is trapped inside, creating a greenhouse effect and causing the earth to warm more. However, it is not correct to think that the presence of carbon in the atmosphere is a completely negative situation and that this carbon formation results only from the burning of fossil fuels. Because carbon dioxide occurs both through natural pathways and anthropogenic pathways, that is, as a result of human actions or inactions. The negative point here is that activities that cause the disruption of the carbon cycle are carried out by humans.  

What Is the Carbon Cycle? 

The carbon cycle refers to the transition of the carbon element between the atmosphere, terrestrial, and water ecosystems. In other words, it is the cycling of carbon through air, plants, soil, animals, and fossil fuels. Plants produce oxygen by using carbon dioxide and water from the atmosphere to perform photosynthesis, while animals and humans take in oxygen from the air and release carbon dioxide. Similarly, carbon dioxide transitions between oceans and the atmosphere. This cycle is an essential process for the continuation of life on Earth.  

The vast majority of the carbon on Earth is stored in sediments or rocks. In addition, the atmosphere, living organisms, and the ocean also contain carbon. When swamp plants, fish, birds, and marine organisms end their lives, they are subjected to millions of years of pressure and transform into carbon-containing fossil fuels. When humans use these fossil fuels to produce energy, the carbon dioxide accumulated on the ocean floor, in sediments, or rocks is released back into the atmosphere. 

Oxford Reference defines the carbon cycle as follows: “The circulation of carbon at the Earth's surface, in its interior, and in its atmosphere.” The National Ocean Service also defines the carbon cycle as “Nature's way of reusing carbon atoms, which travel from the atmosphere into organisms in the Earth and then back into the atmosphere.” 

The Effects of Carbon Dioxide on Climate Change 

Today, carbon dioxide is the primary greenhouse gas causing climate change. Since the Earth and the atmosphere are a closed environment, the amount of carbon inside is constant unless there are human activities. Most of the carbon is stored underground or on the ocean floor, inside dead organisms. However, due to human activities, the extraction and burning of this carbon has resulted in an increase in the amount of carbon dioxide accumulating in the atmosphere. 

The carbon cycle ensures that the carbon concentration in different carbon reservoirs (sinks) on Earth remains in balance. However, any change in one carbon sink means there will be changes in other carbon sinks as well. Today, humans cause the disruption of the carbon cycle by burning fossil fuels that cause large amounts of carbon dioxide to be released into the atmosphere and by destroying lands with trees or plants that absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. 

Greenhouse gases, unlike nitrogen and oxygen which make up most of the atmosphere, absorb heat emitted from the earth's surface. However, they do not direct all the absorbed heat back to Earth. Reflection is in all directions. This ensures that the heat on Earth remains at an ideal level for humans, ecosystems, and biodiversity. However, with the increase in the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, the greenhouse effect also increases. This means that the temperature retained in the atmosphere and sent back to Earth increases.  

The increase in the amount of carbon dioxide does not only cause the Earth's surface temperature to rise. At the same time, the decline of water quality in the oceans is also a result of this. The reaction of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere with water produces carbonic acid. Carbonic acid also lowers the pH level in the oceans, causing a condition referred to as ocean acidification. 

According to data released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the direct influence of human-induced greenhouse gases on global warming has increased by 49% since 1990. And 64% of this warming effect is caused by carbon dioxide. 

How to Clean Carbon Dioxide from the Atmosphere? 

According to the World Economic Forum (WEF), there are 5 main methods to reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and achieve zero carbon emission goals by 2050. These methods announced by the WEF can be listed as follows:  

Afforestation 

Planting new trees, investing in afforestation projects, restoring existing forests, and giving importance to forest management practices can help reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.  

Soil Carbon Sequestration 

Activities such as zero-tillage agriculture (no-till farming), cover cropping, or agroforestry help increase the carbon content in the soil while removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. 

Blue Carbon Ecosystems and Ocean-Based Removal 

Carbon stored in water ecosystems is called blue carbon. Compared to land ecosystems, water ecosystems have 5 times more carbon storage capacity per square meter. Therefore, such ecosystems can be considered as a natural carbon sink. To encourage carbon dioxide absorption by marine ecosystems or marine organisms, salt marshes, mangroves (tree and plant communities that grow on ocean shores where tidal occurrences are frequent), or seagrass meadows can be protected and restored. This applies not only to marine ecosystems but to all wetlands. 

Direct Air Capture 

Technologies called Direct Air Capture (DAC) can permanently store carbon dioxide by drawing it directly from the atmosphere or process it for use in different applications. Companies working to develop DAC technologies are funded by various countries today.  

Carbon Mineralization 

Carbon mineralization is the situation where minerals present inside rocks react with carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to form carbonates, which are solid minerals. Scientists are continuing their work today to perform this natural process artificially. 

Reduce Your Carbon Footprint for a More Livable World! 

The amount of all greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere, primarily carbon dioxide, in tons constitutes the carbon footprint. An increase in the carbon footprint means that ecosystems, biodiversity, and natural resources are gradually decreasing. This situation can prevent the world from being a livable planet for future generations. Therefore, acting with an awareness of the carbon footprint is extremely important. 

If you would like to take sustainable steps by calculating your corporate carbon footprint, you can perform carbon calculations and prepare reports according to the ISO 14064-1:2018 Standard and GHG Protocol with our user-friendly QuickCarbon software.