{"id":1288,"date":"2019-12-06T13:41:03","date_gmt":"2019-12-06T13:41:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/?page_id=1288"},"modified":"2021-06-04T10:59:01","modified_gmt":"2021-06-04T10:59:01","slug":"the-carbon-story","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/climate-change\/the-carbon-story\/","title":{"rendered":"The carbon story"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t\t<section class=\"hero-section hero-section-with-social\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"hero-info-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-12\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"hero-info\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h1>The carbon story<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Discovering Geology &mdash; Climate change<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"social-wrap social-wrap-inline-them\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"sea-background-f\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<span>Share this article<\/span><a target=\"_blank\"  href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/climate-change\/the-carbon-story\/\"><span class=\"icon-facebook\"><span class=\"hidden\">Facebook<\/span><\/span><\/a><a target=\"_blank\"  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=The%20carbon%20story&#038;url=https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/climate-change\/the-carbon-story\/\"><span class=\"icon-twitter\"><span class=\"hidden\">Twitter<\/span><\/span><\/a><a   onclick=\"javascript:void( (function() {var e=document.createElement('script' );e.setAttribute('type','text\/javascript' );e.setAttribute('charset','UTF-8' );e.setAttribute('src','\/\/assets.pinterest.com\/js\/pinmarklet.js?r='+Math.random()*99999999);document.body.appendChild(e)})());\"  href=\"javascript:void(0);\"><span class=\"icon-pinterest\"><span class=\"hidden\">Pinterest<\/span><\/span><\/a><a target=\"_blank\"  href=\"https:\/\/wa.me?text=https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/climate-change\/the-carbon-story\/\"><span class=\"icon-whatsapp\"><span class=\"hidden\">WhatsApp<\/span><\/span><\/a><a   href=\"mailto:?subject=The%20carbon%20story&#038;body=The%20carbon%20cycle%20describes%20the%20process%20in%20which%20carbon%20atoms%20continually%20travel%20from%20the%20atmosphere%20into%20the%20Earth,%20then%20released%20back%20into%20the%20atmosphere.%20%20(https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/climate-change\/the-carbon-story\/)\"><span class=\"icon-mail\"><span class=\"hidden\">Email<\/span><\/span><\/a><a href=\"#\" data-copy=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/climate-change\/the-carbon-story\/\" class=\"copy-url-on-click\"><span class=\"icon-link\"><span class=\"hidden\">Copy Link<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-bgs-blocks-content-container content-section\"><div class=\"container\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-12\">\n<p>The amount of carbon we have on Earth doesn\u2019t change. It is the same as it is now as it was millions of years ago when the dinosaurs roamed the Earth. Most carbon is stored in reservoirs, or sinks, such as rocks and sediments, while the rest is stored in the atmosphere, oceans, and living organisms. Carbon is released back into to the atmosphere through respiration by animals and plants. It is also released by burning materials such as wood, oil and gas. This is called the carbon cycle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"cycle\">The carbon cycle<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Carbon is a crucial element for all life on Earth. Carbon is the basic building block of life and helps form the bodies of living organisms. Its compounds form solids, liquids and gases.<\/p>\n\n\n<figure  class=\"img-wrap\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Carbon_cycle_005_RGB-1400x1007.jpg\" data-toggle=\"lightbox\" data-footer=\"&lt;p&gt;The carbon cycle. BGS \u00a9UKRI.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-gallery=\"gallery_84767\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Carbon_cycle_005_RGB-150x150.jpg\" class=\"lazy-blur\" alt=\"The carbon cycle\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Carbon_cycle_005_RGB-960x691.jpg\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"caption sm-line\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/info-caption.svg\" alt=\"Information icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-text\"><p>The carbon cycle. BGS \u00a9UKRI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"expand-box expand-box-top\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Carbon_cycle_005_RGB-1400x1007.jpg\" data-toggle=\"lightbox\" data-footer=\"&lt;p&gt;The carbon cycle. BGS \u00a9UKRI.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-gallery=\"gallery_84767\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/expand.svg\" alt=\"Expand icon\"><\/a><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<p>Carbon may be either \u2018organic\u2019 or \u2018inorganic\u2019. Organic carbon is found in: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>living or dead organisms<\/li><li>fossil fuels<\/li><li>small deposits in rocks<\/li><li>dissolved in water <\/li><li>dispersed in the atmosphere<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The majority of the inorganic carbon exists as carbon dioxide, carbonate and hydrogen carbonate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There is a continuous two-way flow of carbon between the organic and inorganic forms. Inorganic carbon is found in what is known as an oxidised state, which is reduced to organic carbon during photosynthesis. Organic carbon can be oxidised by atmospheric oxygen, usually through respiration (breathing). <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The energy released during respiration is used both by plants and animals to maintain their bodily functions. A similar process in which oxygen cycles between the atmosphere, the Earth and living organisms&nbsp;interlinks with the carbon cycle, and photosynthesis (the process plants use to produce energy from their food) and respiration are central to both.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>More than 99 per cent of the carbon in the carbon cycle is found in the Earth\u2019s&nbsp;crust. Most of this has a biological origin, deposited on the ocean floor from the remains of the many marine creatures that use calcium carbonate in their skeletons and shells. After consolidation, these deposits may form a rock known as limestone.<\/p>\n\n\n\t\t\t\t<div  id=\"video-2112-block_5e61600862d76\" class=\"video-wrap  \" >\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"position-relative\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/i3.ytimg.com\/vi\/FgEZpX3n5mo\/hqdefault.jpg\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/video.svg\" class=\"video-play\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption sm-line\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/info-caption.svg\" alt=\"Information icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-text\"><p>A carbon atom could spend millions of years moving through the carbon cycle. The ocean plays the most critical role in regulating Earth&#8217;s carbon balance, and understanding how the carbon cycle is changing is key to understanding Earth&#8217;s changing climate. Source: NASA.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"into-video\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<noscript>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<iframe class=\"video-section\" src=\"https:\/\/youtube.com\/embed\/FgEZpX3n5mo?enablejsapi=1&#038;version=3&#038;playerapiid=ytplayer&#038;rel=0&#038;autoplay=1\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/noscript>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"carbondioxide\"><strong>Carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Carbon dioxide is a gas that contains carbon and oxygen; it has twice as much oxygen as carbon and is often written as CO<sub>2<\/sub> for short. CO<sub>2<\/sub> levels in the atmosphere depend on a balance between CO<sub>2<\/sub> sources and sinks: sources give out CO<sub>2<\/sub> and sinks absorb and store CO<sub>2<\/sub>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Geological sources&nbsp;of CO<sub>2<\/sub> in the atmosphere are: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>volcanoes<\/li><li>gases escaping from the Earth\u2019s mantle <\/li><li>erosion of rocks containing carbon, such as limestone<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>By contrast, the erosion of silicate rocks is a process that tends to remove carbon dioxide from the&nbsp;atmosphere. Rain water is slightly acidic because it incorporates carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The result of this rain falling on silicate rocks is the formation of chemicals called bicarbonates, which are washed into the oceans and eventually incorporated into the mantle through the process of subduction. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Volcanoes can increase CO<sub>2<\/sub> in the atmosphere. Volcanism was much greater during the middle part of the Cretaceous Period, around 100 million years ago, which is why CO<sub>2<\/sub> levels in the atmosphere were much higher then, resulting in a much warmer climate.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"methane\"><strong>Methane hydrates <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Methane is a gas that is composed of carbon and hydrogen; it contains four times as much hydrogen as carbon and and can be written as CH<sub>4<\/sub>. It is actually a much more powerful greenhouse gas than CO<sub>2<\/sub> but is less concentrated in the atmosphere. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There is a large amount of CH<sub>4<\/sub> frozen into a type of ice called methane hydrate, which is found in permafrost, which is ground that remains frozen throughout the year. The structure of methane hydrate holds molecules of CH<sub>4<\/sub> much closer together than if they were in their gaseous form. This means that solid methane hydrate can potentially hold a lot of CH<sub>4<\/sub> gas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There is a large quantity of CH<sub>4<\/sub> below the sea floor and in permafrost soils. Methane in these reservoirs can be released by processes likes temperature changes or disturbing the sediment as a result of&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/earth-hazards\/landslides\/landslides-in-the-uk-and-around-the-world\/#inthesea\">submarine landslides<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n<figure  class=\"img-wrap\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Permafrost.jpg\" data-toggle=\"lightbox\" data-footer=\"&lt;p&gt;Thawing permafrost in Herschel Island, Canada. Source: &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/139918543@N06\/24531601650\/&quot;&gt;Boris Radosavljevic&lt;\/a&gt;.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-gallery=\"gallery_15540\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Permafrost-150x150.jpg\" class=\"lazy-blur\" alt=\"Thawing permafrost in Herschel Island, 2013. Source: Boris Radosavljevic.\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Permafrost-960x497.jpg\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"caption \">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/info-caption.svg\" alt=\"Information icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-text\"><p>Thawing permafrost in Herschel Island, Canada. Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/139918543@N06\/24531601650\/\">Boris Radosavljevic<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"expand-box expand-box-top\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Permafrost.jpg\" data-toggle=\"lightbox\" data-footer=\"&lt;p&gt;Thawing permafrost in Herschel Island, Canada. Source: &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/139918543@N06\/24531601650\/&quot;&gt;Boris Radosavljevic&lt;\/a&gt;.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-gallery=\"gallery_15540\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/expand.svg\" alt=\"Expand icon\"><\/a><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<p>The amount of methane hydrate in permafrost soils is poorly known, with estimates ranging from 7.5 \u2013 400 gigatonnes of carbon. If all this methane hydrate were to melt, there could be catastrophic changes to our climate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Methane hydrates are a component of the &#8216;cryosphere&#8217;; anywhere on Earth where water is in solid form is known as the cryosphere: this includes snow, ice and permanently frozen ground. These all play different roles within the climate system. For example, the continental ice sheets of Antarctica and Greenland actively influence global climate over geological time scales, but they may also have more rapid effects on sea level. Changes in the cryosphere are connected to global-scale feedbacks, including solar reflectivity and ocean circulation. <\/p>\n\n\n<figure  class=\"img-wrap\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/the-cryosphere-world-map_e2.jpg\" data-toggle=\"lightbox\" data-footer=\"&lt;p&gt;World map of the cryosphere; snow, ice and permanently frozen ground (2007). Source: &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.grida.no\/resources\/5279&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noopener&quot;&gt;UNEP\/GRID-Arendal&lt;\/a&gt;.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-gallery=\"gallery_1300\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/the-cryosphere-world-map_e2-150x150.jpg\" class=\"lazy-blur\" alt=\"the Cryosphere world map https:\/\/www.grida.no\/resources\/5279\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/the-cryosphere-world-map_e2-960x468.jpg\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"caption \">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/info-caption.svg\" alt=\"Information icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-text\"><p>World map of the cryosphere; snow, ice and permanently frozen ground (2007). Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.grida.no\/resources\/5279\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">UNEP\/GRID-Arendal<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"expand-box expand-box-top\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/the-cryosphere-world-map_e2.jpg\" data-toggle=\"lightbox\" data-footer=\"&lt;p&gt;World map of the cryosphere; snow, ice and permanently frozen ground (2007). Source: &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.grida.no\/resources\/5279&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noopener&quot;&gt;UNEP\/GRID-Arendal&lt;\/a&gt;.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-gallery=\"gallery_1300\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/expand.svg\" alt=\"Expand icon\"><\/a><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Further information<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Stephenson, M. (2018) <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/book\/9780128120217\/energy-and-climate-change\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"undefined (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Energy and Climate Change<\/a>. Elsevier.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<section   id=\"latest-content-6-block_5e61677ac8b59\" class=\"grid-section  primary-background   \" >\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row header-of-section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-12\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2>You may also be interested in<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row grid-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-lg-6 col-12\">\n\t<div class=\"cards cards-orizontal-sm  cards-find-more  cards-bordered\">\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/\" class=\"media-wrap\">\n\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/feature_homepage_p815563-150x150.jpg\" class=\"lazy-blur wp-post-image\" alt=\"Ammonite p815563\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/feature_homepage_p815563.jpg\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"info-wrap\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"info\">\n\t\t\t\t<h4><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/\">Discovering Geology<\/a><\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Discovering Geology introduces a range of geoscience topics to school-age students and learners of all ages.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/\">Show more<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-lg-6 col-12\">\n\t<div class=\"cards cards-orizontal-sm  cards-find-more  cards-bordered\">\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/climate-change\/\" class=\"media-wrap\">\n\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/feature_climate_P912184-150x150.jpg\" class=\"lazy-blur wp-post-image\" alt=\"Iceberg P912184\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/feature_climate_P912184.jpg\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"info-wrap\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"info\">\n\t\t\t\t<h4><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/climate-change\/\">Discovering Geology: climate change<\/a><\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>What is the difference between weather and climate? what causes the Earth&#8217;s climate to change and what are the impacts? Find out more with our Discovery Geology climate change resources.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/climate-change\/\">Show more<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-lg-6 col-12\">\n\t<div class=\"cards cards-orizontal-sm  cards-find-more  cards-bordered\">\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/climate-change\/what-are-we-doing-about-climate-change\/\" class=\"media-wrap\">\n\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/WhatWereDoing-Feature-1-150x150.png\" class=\"lazy-blur wp-post-image\" alt=\"What are we doing about climate change?\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/WhatWereDoing-Feature-1.png\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"info-wrap\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"info\">\n\t\t\t\t<h4><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/climate-change\/what-are-we-doing-about-climate-change\/\">What are we doing about climate change?<\/a><\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>BGS is committed to research aimed at slowing down the effects of a changing climate, whilst helping society to become resilient to climate change. <\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/climate-change\/what-are-we-doing-about-climate-change\/\">Show more<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-lg-6 col-12\">\n\t<div class=\"cards cards-orizontal-sm  cards-find-more  cards-bordered\">\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/climate-change\/impacts-of-climate-change\/\" class=\"media-wrap\">\n\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Sandstone-Feature-Image-150x150.png\" class=\"lazy-blur wp-post-image\" alt=\"Sandstone coloured red with iron oxides, indicating a hot climate at the time of deposition.\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Sandstone-Feature-Image.png\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"info-wrap\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"info\">\n\t\t\t\t<h4><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/climate-change\/impacts-of-climate-change\/\">Impacts of climate change<\/a><\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Temperature rises can affect agriculture, sea levels and the frequency of extreme weather incidents. We can study past climate change by looking at the evidence in rocks, fossils and changes in the landscape.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/climate-change\/impacts-of-climate-change\/\">Show more<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-lg-6 col-12\">\n\t<div class=\"cards cards-orizontal-sm  cards-find-more  cards-bordered\">\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/climate-change\/how-does-the-greenhouse-effect-work\/\" class=\"media-wrap\">\n\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Greenhouse_effect_feature_image-150x150.jpg\" class=\"lazy-blur wp-post-image\" alt=\"The greenhouse effect: some of the infrared radiation passes through the atmosphere, but most is absorbed and re-emitted in all directions by greenhouse gas molecules and clouds. The effect of this is to warm the Earth&#039;s surface and the lower atmosphere.\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Greenhouse_effect_feature_image.jpg\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"info-wrap\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"info\">\n\t\t\t\t<h4><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/climate-change\/how-does-the-greenhouse-effect-work\/\">The greenhouse effect<\/a><\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Gases in the Earth&#8217;s atmosphere act as an insulating blanket around the planet, trapping more of the Sun\u2019s heat.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/climate-change\/how-does-the-greenhouse-effect-work\/\">Show more<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-lg-6 col-12\">\n\t<div class=\"cards cards-orizontal-sm  cards-find-more  cards-bordered\">\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/climate-change\/what-causes-the-earths-climate-to-change\/\" class=\"media-wrap\">\n\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/feature_Icelandic_glacier_P912193-150x150.jpg\" class=\"lazy-blur wp-post-image\" alt=\"Skaftafellsj\u00f6kull Glacier\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/feature_Icelandic_glacier_P912193.jpg\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"info-wrap\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"info\">\n\t\t\t\t<h4><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/climate-change\/what-causes-the-earths-climate-to-change\/\">What causes the Earth&#8217;s climate to change?<\/a><\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Geological records demonstrate that there have been a number of large variations in Earth\u2019s climate in the past.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/climate-change\/what-causes-the-earths-climate-to-change\/\">Show more<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-lg-6 col-12\">\n\t<div class=\"cards cards-orizontal-sm  cards-find-more  cards-bordered\">\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/climate-change\/carbon-capture-and-storage\/\" class=\"media-wrap\">\n\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/CCS-Feature-150x150.png\" class=\"lazy-blur wp-post-image\" alt=\"Gasometer.\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/CCS-Feature.png\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"info-wrap\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"info\">\n\t\t\t\t<h4><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/climate-change\/carbon-capture-and-storage\/\">Understanding carbon capture and storage<\/a><\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Carbon capture and storage involves capturing carbon dioxide at emission sources, such as power stations, then transporting and storing it underground. <\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/climate-change\/carbon-capture-and-storage\/\">Show more<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-12\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The carbon cycle describes the process in which carbon atoms continually travel from the atmosphere into the Earth, then released back into the atmosphere. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":27158,"parent":1336,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"on","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"carbon cycle","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"9939,16673,1783,21654,16523,15877","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v22.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>The carbon story - British Geological Survey<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Carbon is the basic building block of life and helps form the bodies of living organisms. 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