Is there a relationship between global warming and carbon dioxide emissions?

Of course it matters. And carbon dioxide is one of the fundamental causes of global warming!

Tetris, I think everyone is familiar with it.

In fact, the earth has been playing a similar game for a long time, called "carbon cube elimination".

These squares enter the atmosphere in the form of carbon dioxide through volcanic eruptions, decaying plants, breathing creatures and ocean surfaces. When they are absorbed by photosynthesis of plants, absorbed by the ocean, or stored in soil and sediments, they will leave the atmosphere. Just like all kinds of squares in Tetris are stacked together seamlessly, and with a bang, they all disappear!

This game of "eliminating the carbon cube" is called carbon cycle, which is the power source of life on earth.

But what does this have to do with the climate?

Well, when carbon dioxide is waiting to be reabsorbed in the atmosphere, it will lock in some solar heat energy, otherwise it will escape into space. This is why carbon dioxide is called "greenhouse gas".

It forms a warm surface, which is the so-called "greenhouse effect", so that our earth will not be as cold as Mars. The more carbon dioxide remains in the atmosphere waiting to be reabsorbed, the warmer the earth will become.

Although the carbon content in the atmosphere has changed greatly under the influence of the ice age and asteroid impact, in the past 8000 years, the stable climate we are familiar with has begun to take shape, which has also enabled human civilization to prosper.

But about 200 years ago, we began to dig ancient carbon buried underground. Those fossil fuels, coal, oil and natural gas are composed of buried animal and plant remains, which died long before human evolution. The energy stored in it can provide energy for factories, cars and power plants. However, burning these fuels also releases new carbon cubes into the game of "eliminating carbon cubes" on earth.

At the same time, we cut down forests for agriculture, which reduces the earth's ability to eliminate these carbon cubes. Since 1750, the carbon content in the atmosphere has increased by 40%, and there is no sign of slowing down.

Just like Tetris, with the increase of Tetris, it is more and more difficult to eliminate and restore balance.

The extra carbon dioxide in the atmosphere locks more heat energy on the earth's surface, accelerates the greenhouse effect and leads to the melting of polar ice sheets. The more they melt, the less sunlight they reflect, which leads to the faster warming of the ocean. Sea level rises, coastal population is threatened by floods, natural ecosystems are destroyed, and extreme weather is more frequent.

Climate change will affect different places and people in different ways. But in the end, this is a game in which everyone of us participates.

Unlike Tetris, once the game is over, we have no chance to start again.