Trends in the diagnoses of childhood asthma worldwide have paralleled with the increase in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, over at least the last two decades. The prevalence of asthma in the United States has quadrupled over the last 20 years in which is being shown partly due to climate-related factors. The Harvard Medical School and the Center for Health and the Global Environment, reported that there was an increase in asthma incidence of 160% from 1980–1994 among preschool children. Asthma and climate change is more than just a correlation it is a direct cause and effect relationship. While asthma is associated with having a genetic predisposition, the changing environment and air pollution are known to be major contributory factors in …show more content…
Natural sources include decomposition, ocean release and respiration. Human sources come from activities like cement production, deforestation as well as the burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil and natural gas. In 2013, CO2 accounted for about 82% of all U.S. greenhouse gas emissions from human activities. Unfortunately human activities are having a substantial impact on altering the carbon cycle, both by adding more CO2 to the atmosphere and by affecting the ability of natural sinks, such as forests, to remove CO2 from the atmosphere. While CO2 emissions come from a variety of natural sources, human-related emissions are responsible for the increase that has occurred in the atmosphere since the industrial revolution. During the 1960’s CO2 emissions exceeded 300 ppm (part per million) which is simply a way of measuring the ratio of carbon dioxide molecules to all of the other molecules in the atmosphere. In the 1980’s the levels approached 350 ppm and continue to increase. Today the United States sits at 400 ppm. We are adding 2 ppm of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere every year. Unless actions are made to stop this and try and reverse the damage done, we risk exceeding points of no return and irreversible impacts that could send climate change out of our