carbon emissions

The release into the atmosphere of carbon (C) mainly in the form of carbon dioxide (CO2), a greenhouse gas, and mainly through the burning of fossil fuels. Cement manufacture and deforestation are sometimes included. Global carbon emissions from fossil fuel burning and cement manufacture were 9.1Gt carbon (C) in 2010, with a further 0.9Gt C due to deforestation. Mean emissions for the decade 2000-2009 were about 7.7Gt C yr-1.

This definition is abridged from A – Z of tree terms: A companion to British arboriculture.
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