The Basics

 

The basic science of carbon emissions

 

• Massive amounts of atmospheric carbon have been locked up in the earth’s rocks, oceans, and tundras. This storage of carbon created an oxygen-rich atmosphere that allowed life to evolve

• Mining and burning this fossil carbon - fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas - unlocks it and releases it as gases into the atmosphere. These gases act like a greenhouse – making the earth warmer

• Levels of carbon in the atmosphere are now rising at unprecedented rates.  This is now widely accepted as resulting from accelerating economic activity since the industrial revolution

• Every person, home, and business emits carbon

• Emitting carbon currently has no penalty or cost in Australia.  But it will from 2011

 

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