Q&A: How rate of CO₂ rise can affect a global ocean current

As we burn fossil fuels, the amount of carbon dioxide in Earth's atmosphere is gradually rising, and with it, the planet's average temperature. How fast the level of atmospheric carbon dioxide—and with it, the temperature—goes up matters for the ability of humans and ecosystems to adjust. A slower increase gives humans time to move away from low-lying areas and animals time to move to new habitats.