Key learning points

1. Correlation between changing CO₂ concentration and consumption of fuels, and global temperature changes.
2. Uncertainties caused by locations where measurements are taken.
3. Historical accuracy of measurements should be evaluated.
4. Carbon footprints are a way of measuring a person's, product's or organisation's impact on global carbon emissions.
5. Fossil fuel derived CO₂ has a different isotopic composition than CO₂ from other sources.

Keywords

• Correlation - Correlation is a link between variables so that if one variable changes so does the other. It can be a negative or positive correlation.

• Uncertainties - If there are uncertainties in data, it means there may be some doubt over the reliability of the data.

• Isotope - An isotope is an atom of an element with the same number of protons, but different mass number, due to a different number of neutrons.

• Carbon emissions - Carbon emissions are the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, often through the combustion of fossil fuels.

• Carbon footprint - Carbon footprint is the total amount of carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases that a person, product, organisation or event emits in its life cycle.

Common misconception