The Increasing Potency of Carbon Dioxide in a Changing Climate

A new study led by scientists at the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science reveals that carbon dioxide (CO2) becomes a more potent greenhouse gas as its concentration increases in the atmosphere. The researchers found that the cooling of the stratosphere caused by increasing CO2 concentrations leads to subsequent increases in CO2 having a larger heat-trapping effect, making it more potent as a greenhouse gas. This finding has significant implications for understanding past and future climate changes and highlights the urgency of curbing carbon emissions to mitigate the severe impacts of climate change.