Final answer:
While volcanoes do release carbon dioxide, human activities emit 100 times more CO2, resulting in a greater impact on climate change. Volcanic effects, like haze-effect cooling, are temporary, unlike the sustained contribution of greenhouse gases from human sources.
Step-by-step explanation:
Volcanoes vs Human Activities: Impact on Climate Change
Although there have been instances where volcanic eruptions have released substantial amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2), the overall impact of volcanoes on atmospheric CO2 levels is far less than that of human activities. When comparing the two, the amount of CO2 emissions from burning fossil fuels is a staggering 100 times greater than the emissions from volcanoes. Human activities currently release over 30 billion tons of CO2 annually, while on average, volcanic eruptions contribute a much smaller amount—even in cases where large eruptions occur.
It's important to note that volcanic eruptions can cause short-term climate changes due to the release of gases and solids, such as sulfur dioxide, which can lead to a phenomenon known as haze-effect cooling. However, these effects are generally temporary, whereas the accumulation of CO2 from human sources is continuous and growing, driving a long-term trend of climate warming. This persistent addition of greenhouse gases by human activities is akin to a 'tub filling with water', with emissions surpassing the natural absorption capacity of our oceans and land ecosystems.
Furthermore, other human practices contribute to rising CO2 levels. Deforestation, bushfires, and animal husbandry are activities that release significant amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. The cumulative effect of these diverse sources of human-related emissions has led to the highest atmospheric CO2 concentrations in over 800,000 years, posing a grave concern for ongoing and future climate change impacts.