By Justina Asishana
Claim: Some Twitter users have begun conversations stating that carbon dioxide (CO2) is not a pollutant.
The claim was shared on the 17th of May, 2023, by @JusperMachogu, and on the 9th of May, by @MatthewWielicki.
@JusperMachogu’s tweet, which was a response to a tweet calling for the cutting down of CO2 emissions read, “Why? CO2 up is good. Have you heard of the fertilization effect of carbon dioxide? Greening of a part of the Sahel. Kim at our crop production. Carbon is not a pollutant, nor is it a major warming gas. Carbon is life”. It had 32 retweets, 122 likes, and 2,017 views.
@MatthewWielicki’s tweet read, “Our singular focus on an invisible trace gas that is not a pollutant has allowed these other issues to get worse. Stop the climate hysteria and work on actual pollution problems. CO2 is NOT a pollutant!”. It had 37 retweets, 4 quote tweets, 206 likes, and 8,317 views.
Verification
What is a Pollutant?
Pollutants are harmful materials introduced into the environment that contaminate it. Pollutants such as volcanic ash are natural or can be generated by human activity, such as runoff produced by factories or garbage. They damage the quality of air, water, and land.
There are three major types of pollution: air, water, and land.
According to National Geographic, air pollution “consists of chemicals or particles in the air that can harm the health of humans, animals, and plants”. Pollutants in the air take different forms, such as gases, solid particles, or liquid droplets.
Why is CO2 referred to as a pollutant?
Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that has had the biggest effect on global warming. The gas is emitted into the atmosphere by burning fossil fuels. Its emissions have been “considered one of the main sources of air pollution due to its climatic effects as a greenhouse gas (GHG)”.
CO2 emissions can come from both natural and man-made sources. Natural sources include decomposition, ocean release, respiration, and photosynthesis. Respiration and photosynthesis are interconnected processes where organisms release and absorb CO2.
Man-made sources primarily involve burning fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas, directly releasing stored carbon into the atmosphere. Cement production and deforestation also contribute to CO2 emissions.
Cement production releases CO2 through used energy and the chemical reactions involved, while deforestation releases stored carbon from forests. Land use changes, including agriculture and forestry, also contribute to anthropogenic CO2 emissions and other air pollutants.
Fossil fuel use is the primary source of CO2. The use of fossil fuels to power cars and planes, heat homes, and run factories pollute the air with carbon dioxide.
While carbon dioxide is a natural component of the atmosphere, human activity has caused an alarming rise in its levels resulting in detrimental effects on the environment and atmosphere. Elevated amounts of greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels have created an unnatural greenhouse effect.
The increase in greenhouse gas emissions causes the average temperatures to continue to rise, causing pollution and warming our planet’s climate. The greenhouse effect increases the global temperature and results in global climate change, which raises average temperatures and disrupts weather patterns and the Earth’s overall climate.
There are six levels of CO2 in the atmosphere; while levels one and two can be stated to be safe, level three points to the CO2 becoming polluted, while levels four to six present various potential health problems associated with the atmosphere becoming polluted.
Source: Breeze Technologies
In 2007, the United State Supreme Court declared that carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping emissions are air pollutants under the Country’s Clean Air Act, which requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish national ambient air quality standards for specific pollutants based on the latest science.
This ruling was made in the Massachusetts v. EPA, 549 U.S. 497 (2007) case, where the Administration had denied that carbon dioxide is an air pollutant that EPA can control under the Clean Air Act.
Impact of Carbon Dioxide Humans
High amounts of Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere adversely impact humans, animals, and the environment, resulting in extreme weather patterns, shifts in wildlife populations and habitats, and decreased food production.
Exposure to CO2 can lead to various health effects, including headaches, dizziness, difficulty breathing, and increased heart rate. Higher levels of CO2 in the air can result in more severe consequences such as coma, asphyxia, and convulsions.
Rating
Missing Context: Although Carbon dioxide may be a natural element, it is classified as a pollutant at high concentrations. It becomes a pollutant due to its introduction to the environment on the scale it is currently emitted by burning fossil fuels, which has several adverse effects.
This fact-check was produced by Justina Asishana, a journalist with The Nation newspaper, with support from Code for Africa’s PesaCheck and African Fact-Checking Alliance network.
