With everything already being at record levels across the world, what can theoretically and realistically be done? Are we trying to flatten the curve so temperatures don’t get even worse or is there a way to actually reverse what is happening?
In: Planetary Science
The planet has a “carbon balance sheet,” a good discussion about it is [here](https://soilcarboncenter.k-state.edu/carbcycle.html).
In short, the amount of atmospheric carbon dioxide naturally absorbed by the planet every year (e.g., photosynthesis) was, before the Industrial Revolution, roughly balanced with what the planet “exhaled” every year (e.g., due to volcanoes, decomposition, etc.). When human factors are taken into account, there’s a net increases in carbon dioxide with nowhere to go, resulting in inhospitable changes to the global climate (e.g., global warming).
“Fighting climate change” means trying to restore that carbon cycle balance: reducing carbon dioxide emissions due to human activity (e.g., more use of carbon-neutral energy sources like solar), as well as increasing the planet’s ability to absorb more (e.g., reforestation, carbon capture, etc.).
Latest Answers