POWER!!!! Fortescue Future Industries, page-5782

You're absolutely right that CO2 is fundamental to life as we know it. It's a key player in the carbon cycle, which forms the backbone of all organic molecules. Without CO2, plants couldn't photosynthesize, which would mean no oxygen production and no food chains as we know them. And yes, carbon is an essential building block in the chemistry of life, making up a significant part of our bodies and everything living on Earth.

On the other hand, while CO2 is a small fraction of the atmosphere at about 0.042%, it is still a potent greenhouse gas. Its ability to trap heat plays a major role in regulating Earth's temperature. The concern isn't with the natural CO2 levels that have existed for millennia, but with the additional CO2 released from human activities—like burning fossil fuels and deforestation—that's enhancing the greenhouse effect. This is where the imbalance begins to impact climate systems.

So, while it's a vital gas for life, it's also important to understand how changes in its atmospheric concentration can have broad environmental consequences. It's like salt in a dish—essential in the right amount, but too much can throw everything off balance.