Adding more carbon dioxide to the atmosphere is bad for our planet because it heats up the Earth’s climate. It also disrupts the natural balance that existed for millions of years before human activity began to influence it.

The biggest source of carbon emissions is burning fossil fuels such as gas, petrol, oil and coal. These emit CO2 when they are burned, and they release other greenhouse gases when they decay or decompose. In addition, wildfires and volcanic eruptions add CO2 to the air.

Plants and trees absorb carbon dioxide from the air via photosynthesis (a process by which they turn it into sugars that plants need to grow). When these are cut down or burnt for energy, they release carbon dioxide back into the air. Soil microorganisms also release CO2 and methane as they break down dead organisms in the soil.

Many industrial processes are a major source of CO2 emissions from the use of fossil fuels. These include the production of paper and food, petroleum refineries, chemicals and metal/mineral products. Marine transport is another large source of emissions. Unlike road transport, ships are slow-moving and require a lot of fuel to operate.

Generally, richer countries have higher per capita carbon emissions than poorer countries. But there are also large variations in per capita emissions across the world, even between countries with similar standards of living. This is due to a country’s choices about how it produces and uses electricity. For example, some European countries like Portugal, France and the UK have lower emissions than their neighbors with a similar standard of living because they generate much of their power from renewable sources.