The natural production of carbon dioxide (CO2) far exceeds human emissions in terms of sheer volume. Natural sources such as ocean outgassing, soil respiration, volcanic activity, and the natural carbon cycle release approximately 750 gigatons of CO2 annually, which is about ten times more than the roughly 30 to 40 gigatons emitted by human activities each year
. However, this natural CO2 is part of a balanced cycle where the amount released is roughly equal to the amount absorbed by oceans, plants, and soils, maintaining relatively stable atmospheric CO2 levels over thousands of years before industrialization
. Human activities, primarily the burning of fossil fuels, deforestation, and certain industrial processes, add extra CO2 to this cycle that natural sinks cannot fully absorb, causing a net increase in atmospheric CO2 levels
. Although natural CO2 constitutes about 95% of the total CO2 inflow into the atmosphere, the approximately 5% contributed by humans is significant because it disrupts the natural equilibrium, leading to the accumulation of CO2 in the atmosphere and driving climate change
. This anthropogenic CO2 has caused atmospheric concentrations to rise more than 40% since the 19th century, reaching levels not seen in at least 800,000 years
. In summary:
- Natural CO2 emissions are roughly ten times greater than human emissions annually.
- Natural CO2 emissions are balanced by natural absorption, keeping atmospheric levels stable pre-industrialization.
- Human emissions add extra CO2 that natural sinks cannot absorb fully, causing atmospheric CO2 levels to rise.
- This imbalance due to human activities is the primary driver of recent climate change.
Thus, while natural CO2 production is much larger in magnitude, the human contribution is critical because it disrupts the natural carbon cycle balance and leads to increasing atmospheric CO2 concentrations
