Comparison of CO2 emissions from volcanoes vs. human activities. Scientists have calculated that volcanoes emit between about 130-230 million tonnes (145-255 million tons) of CO2 into the atmosphere every year (Gerlach, 1999, 1992). This estimate includes both subaerial and submarine volcanoes, about in equal amounts. Emissions of CO2 by human activities, including fossil fuel burning, cement production, and gas flaring, amount to about 22 billion tonnes per year (24 billion tons) ( ( Marland, et al., 1998) - The reference gives the amount of released carbon (C), rather than CO2.). Human activities release more than 150 times the amount of CO2 emitted by volcanoes--the equivalent of nearly 17,000 additional volcanoes like Kilauea (Kilauea emits about 13.2 million tonnes/year)!
They also stated that volcanic emissions of CO2 far exceeded those from human activity. This is untrue. Annual emissions from volcanoes are only 1% of the amount emitted to the atmosphere by humans.
"...in the recently published eruption chronology of Hirschboeck (1980), a volcanic input of about 1.5 x 10^11 moles CO2 yr-1 was determined for the period 1800-1969. The period 1800-1899 had a somewhat lower input than 1900-1969, which could well be related more to completeness of observational data than to a real increase in volcanic CO2. This input is well below man's current CO2 production of 4-5 x 10^14 moles CO2 yr-1. "
I make it less than 1% from the above source, nearer 0.1%. The source may be out of date.
But hey, blogger-all or less than blogger-all the message is the same.
There are many causes of world-wide C02 (and Methane, et al) outputs in the world. Is there a simple 'agreed' list of scientists' current estimates of each these (even approx), and of what each thing makes per annum ? E.G. Algae/krill xxx%, rotting veg xxx%, ionisation xxx%, "human-activity" xxx% (preferably split into home/industry/transposrt/flight/etc), etc etc...
Originally posted by TIG4: There are many causes of world-wide C02 (and Methane, et al) outputs in the world. Is there a simple 'agreed' list of scientists' current estimates of each these (even approx), and of what each thing makes per annum ? E.G. Algae/krill xxx%, rotting veg xxx%, ionisation xxx%, "human-activity" xxx% (preferably split into home/industry/transposrt/flight/etc), etc etc...
