Humans dwarf volcanoes for CO2 emissions Minimal impact
Volcanoes are spectacular displays of the massive forces at work
inside our planet, yet they are dwarfed by humans in at least
one respect: their carbon dioxide emissions. Despite statements
made by climate change deniers, volcanoes release a tiny
fraction of the amount of carbon dioxide emitted by human
activities every year. In fact, humans release roughly 135 times
more carbon dioxide annually than volcanoes do, on average,
according a new analysis. Put another way, humans emit in under
three days the amount that volcanoes typically release in a
year, according to the best estimates of volcanic emissions.
"The question of whether or not volcanoes emit more CO2 than
human activity is one I get more than any question in my email
from the general public," says Dr Terrence Gerlach, a retired
volcanologist, formerly with the Cascades Volcano Observatory,
part of the US Geological Survey. Even Earth scientists who work
in other areas often pose him the ques