Burning fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere
So, now you know greenhouse gases act like the glass in a greenhouse – trapping heat in the Earth’s atmosphere so it can’t escape. This makes our planet the perfect temperature for us, plants, and animals to live - otherwise, Earth would be like a giant ice block, a chilly -18°C. Imagine walking to school in that!
But here’s the catch: we’re burning way too many fossil fuels, like coal, gas, and natural gas, which is pumping heaps of carbon dioxide (or CO₂) into the air. This is making the levels of greenhouse gases rise really fast.
The more CO₂ we have up there, the more heat gets trapped, and the warmer our planet becomes. Even small increases in Earth’s temperature can affect the climate BIG time.