In the last 150 years, global temperatures have increased by about 1 degree. During the same period, the concentration of carbon dioxide in the air increased from 280 to 400 ppm by volume. The measured CO2 - temperature - time relationship leads to the suspicion that man-made CO2 emissions from the use of fossil fuels during the Industrial Revolution were the cause of the temperature increase. Man-made CO2 is ostracized as a climate killer. As a result, zero-emissions targets and decarbonization for climate protection are politically enforced, which can lead to deindustrialization and impoverishment of society.
The Earth's atmosphere acts like a greenhouse by storing solar energy. All gases in the atmosphere are involved in energy storage according to their molar heat capacities and concentrations. Nitrogen and oxygen as the main components of the air carry the largest share of the stored energy.
The energy content of the trace gases carbon dioxide, methane, etc. is low due to their low concentration. According to the thermodynamic analysis, carbon dioxide cannot cause heat accumulation.
Water vapor and the trace gases have a catalytic function in converting thermal energy in the air into electromagnetic radiation. They play an important role in maintaining the radiation budget
