A result of photosynthesis, carbon dioxide naturally enters the atmosphere by the process in which green plants and some other organisms use sunlight to produce foods. In contrast to this natural process, levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere have increased significantly following the Industrial Revolution. This development has effects on air pollution, raising concerns over carbon dioxides increasing significance to the world.

The effects on human health

The greatest concern as a result of carbon dioxide emissions is that it can have detrimental consequences to humans’ health. Carbon dioxide emissions impact human health by superseding oxygen within the atmosphere, where breathing becomes more difficult as carbon dioxide fills the atmosphere. More dangerous in compact areas, such as urban districts, high levels of carbon dioxide can lead to health complaints such as headaches.

Alterations to the world climate and the Greenhouse Effect

Another environmental effect of carbon dioxide on air pollution is climate change. The earth’s surface temperature has risen over the past century according to studies conducted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). According to an ongoing temperature analysis produced by NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS), the average global temperature on Earth has increased by about 0.8° Celsius (1.4° Fahrenheit) since 1880. Two-thirds of this warming has occurred since 1975, at a rate of roughly 0.15-0.20°C per decade. Scientists believe carbon dioxide pollution is the primary culprit. The effects are significantly complex, though it is important to understand that this deeply effects our environment.

Carbon dioxide contributes to air pollution in its role in the greenhouse effect. Carbon dioxide traps radiation at ground level, creating ground-level ozone that prevents the earth from cooling at night time. Another result is a warming of the oceans waters, because the oceans absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. However, increased water temperatures prevent the oceans’ ability to absorb carbon dioxide. More importantly, carbon dioxide reacts with the oceans water to form carbonic acid, causing the acidity to increase.

Contributions to acid rain

Carbon dioxide is a contributor to the environmental effect known as acid rain, the combining of emissions released from fossil fuel-burning energy plants with moisture in the air. The result is precipitation with a high acid content. Documented evidence shows the physical damage to trees and other plant life. Water and soil pollution occur from the acidic precipitation. A complicating factor is the mobility of emissions. The effects of carbon dioxide can be seen and felt far from their sources, making their impacts on air pollution more serious.