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Where does all the carbon
we release go?

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Carbon works in a natural cycle,
present in all living things:

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in the soil, in the oceans,
in the atmosphere

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and in rocks deep underground.

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When plants and other living things die,

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much of their stored carbon
makes its way back to the atmosphere

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until new plants grow
and reabsorb the carbon.

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But over millions of years,

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some of the carbon stored in ancient trees
and sea life becomes rock

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and some becomes fossil fuels:

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coal, oil and natural gas.

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Natural events like volcanic eruptions

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release some of the carbon
trapped in rock.

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And human activities,
like burning fossil fuels,

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also release some
of that prehistoric carbon.

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Today, humans release
around 60 times more carbon

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than all the volcanoes
on the planet each year.

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That overloads Earth's carbon cycle

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and builds up in the atmosphere

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and oceans.

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Planting more trees will help,
but trees alone can't get us to net zero.

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There's only one sure way
to stop global warming.

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We must stop releasing
this excess carbon into our air.

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[Countdown

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Take action on climate change
at Countdown.ted.com]