Common arguments
Do volcanoes emit more CO2 than humans?
Volcanoes look huge and dramatic, so it is easy to assume they dwarf human output. Here is why that does not hold up.
Why it sounds plausible
Volcanoes look huge and dramatic, so it is easy to assume they dwarf human output.
The simple answer
They do not emit more CO2 than humans in a normal year.
The fuller explanation
Human activity emits far more CO2 than volcanoes, by a wide margin. Volcanoes can affect climate, but major eruptions often cause short-term cooling by reflecting sunlight, not warming.
Bottom line
Volcanoes do not explain the modern CO2 rise.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
Volcanoes do not explain the modern CO2 rise.
They do not emit more CO2 than humans in a normal year.
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