Scientists know with a high degree of certainty this carbon dioxide is primarily due to human activities because carbon produced by burning fossil fuels leaves a distinct “fingerprint” that instruments can measure. Since 1850, Earth’s global average temperature has increased by over 1 degree Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit). Furthermore, recent scientific assessments show that Earth is expected to warm another half a degree Celsius (almost a degree Fahrenheit) as soon as 2030.
