Collective human metabolism produces 2 billion metric tons of CO₂ a year, global study estimates
A University of Bath–led study has estimated that the carbon dioxide produced by humans as our bodies turn food into energy rose by 74% between 1985 and 2015, reaching 2.05 billion metric tons a year.
A University of Bath–led study has estimated that the carbon dioxide produced by humans as our bodies turn food into energy rose by 74% between 1985 and 2015, reaching 2.05 billion metric tons a year.
The short version
- Researchers say the findings could help scientists better understand where carbon comes from, where it goes and how human activity fits into the bigger picture.
- This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies .
- Crucially, the CO₂ people breathe out is not the same as emissions from burning fossil fuels.
What happened
The carbon we exhale comes from the food we eat and is largely carbon that plants have recently taken from the atmosphere. Fossil fuels, by contrast, release carbon that has been stored underground for millions of years.
Why it matters
Published in The Lancet Planetary Health and led by professor Javier Gonzalez, the study found that the amount of CO₂ produced by people worldwide rose from 1.18 billion metric tons in 1985 to 2.05 billion metric tons in 2015.
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