CO2 Has Its Benefits

Posted on Mon 12/23/2019 by PA Pundits - International

By Dr. Jay Lehr ~

Most plants grow 1) much faster, 2) healthier, 3) stronger, 4) use water more efficiently, 5) grow much more efficiently in higher altitudes and drier locations, 6) handle heat better, 7) handle all types of stresses better, and 8) are often more pest resistant – with more C02 in the air.

Photosynthesis is proven, with hundreds of studies backing the hypothesis that more C02 in the air is better for nearly all plants. It is a fact that if the concentration of C02 in the air is higher, that most plants lose less water(transpiration) in the process of absorbing C02 through the openings in their leaves called “stomata”.

Experiments show a large, difference in size and rate of plant growth for most plants, with even a small incremental increase of C02 levels in the air.

The picture above displays Craig Idso’s results of his CO2 research on plant growth. The signs held up are the extra C02 in the air. Look at the huge difference in size of plants based on each increase in parts per million of C02 in the air.

It appears that the optimum C02 content for most plants is between1,000 and 2,000 ppm (parts per million) At present, there exists only a 410 ppm level in the atmosphere. Confirming these studies and experiments is the fact that many flower growers like Tulips in Holland add C02 making machines to their green houses and crank them up above 1000 ppm to increase growth and yields substantially, and to save on water.

There is 100% certainty that increasing CO2 will continue to increase plant growth, crop yields and world food production for most plants on earth, causing a global greening effect.

A higher level of CO2 enables plants to make more effective use of water, grow faster, and handle almost all stresses better. Plants do better at higher altitudes like in the mountains, in regions of low water, and higher heat zones like the deserts, with more C02 in the air.

A vast area of the world that has been brown and barren in the past, is now turning green. Even with a loss of some forests, there is now more biomass on the earth than existed 100 years ago, The earth is greening because of man’s use of fossil fuels.

The NASA satellite photograph below shows a greening of more than 25% of the Earth’s vegetated land undoubtedly due to increasing Caron dioxide in our atmosphere.

How better to fertilize the planet with the cheapest and most effective plant food known, C02.

It is ironic that people who call themselves “green” demonize the very thing that makes the planet green.

The economics of increased C02 on agriculture:

Increased CO2 the last ten years has led to a significant increase in agricultural production, all by itself, allowing us to feed millions more people adequately.

The increasing atmospheric CO2 concentration over the time frame of 1961 to 2011, is thought to be responsible for saving over $3 trillion in agriculture fertilizer.. And with the forecasted increase of atmospheric CO2 concentration in coming decades, if fossil fuels at not outlawed, an additional $10 trillion more can be saved by 2050.

Most plants are handicapped at today’s low C02 levels and were starving for C02 prior to the industrial revolution, a dangerous condition for the entire food chain. Luckily man started burning fossil fuels, releasing C02 back into the atmosphere. Atmospheric CO2 levels are still way too low, and need to be boosted, if we are going to continue to feed the world’s increasing population.

It is crazy to think we are even debating the idea of limiting C02 at a huge cost to society, when we should actually be promoting more C02. This shows how persuasive the pro global warming movement has been with their sales pitch organization and propaganda because we should actually be doing the opposite of what they are hyping. Not only does the pro global warming argument fail, we should not regulate and tax C02, but rather put more C02 back in the atmosphere. Patrick Moore co-founder of

Greenpeace who now spends his time battling the lies put forth by the organization he founded to save whales and harp seals, predicts the day will come when we will be crushing limestone to put its carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere.

There is only 1/10,000 of a per cent more CO2 in the atmosphere now then there was 260 years ago:

You’re trying to tell me a total increase of one part in ten thousand, that took over 260 years to increase that tiny amount, threatens to plunge the earth into climate catastrophe?

C02 comprises only .04% (.0004) of our atmosphere and is just a trace gas and is only a minor and low potent greenhouse gas from both a percentage standpoint and efficacy standpoint related to heating (the sun, the oceans, water, clouds, and thunderstorms are the real players). (In biological processes, like plant photosynthesis, small amounts of C02, do make a big difference.)

Dr Jay Lehr contributes posts at the CFACT site. Jay Lehr is a Senior Policy Analyst with the International Climate Science Coalition, and he is the author of more than 1,000 magazine and journal articles and 36 books.

Read more excellent articles at CFACT http://www.cfact.org/