What Is Carbon Dioxide?

Carbon dioxide is a heat-trapping gas in our atmosphere. In the past two hundred years, levels of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere have skyrocketed to dangerous levels unprecedented in the history of human civilization. This is happening as a result of human activity—mainly burning coal, oil, and natural gas for transportation and energy, as well as emissions from big-scale agricultural processes.

What can carbon dioxide do to you?

Carbon dioxide from human activity is a major contributor to climate change. Although not harmful in and of itself, the unchecked release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere is polluting our climate and is a grave global health threat. Reducing carbon dioxide emissions is essential to fighting climate change and safeguarding the health and future of our children.

What you can do.

President Biden has made climate action one of the central goals of his presidency. Now it’s up to us to keep the pressure on—we must continue to build momentum for bold climate action.

But we also need legislative solutions to climate change. Laws are more durable over time than presidential actions, which can be reversed by future presidents. So we must keep demanding robust legislative solutions.

We also need our state governments to take action and reduce carbon pollution. Find out what is happening in your state, and demand that your governor take action.

Learn more about how carbon dioxide emissions threaten our children’s health by exploring our resources.

Resources about Carbon Dioxide