CO2 concentration directly determines global temperature.

Is it true that CO2 concentration directly determines global temperature?

Partly. One item merely presents a graph comparing CO2 concentration with temperature anomaly, while several peer-reviewed studies indicate CO2 changes are not directly or simply tied to temperature, including decoupled CO2 variability and low CO2 during warm periods. The evidence covers only part of the picture and does not settle whether CO2 directly determines global temperature.

Verdict: CONTESTED PARTIAL · 1 source for, 3 against · Last checked 18 Oct 2026

The private library was unavailable for some searches in this check. Missing library results are not evidence against the claim.

wbed (2024). wbed/co2tempgraph: Concentration of CO2/Global Air Temperature Authority Graph. zenodo.org. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14194618

Benavides, D. R., Hernández, J. A. C., Gómez, M., & Reyes, L. F. H. (2026). Dynamics Between Atmospheric CO2 Concentration and Global Temperature Anomalies: Evidence of Time-Varying Granger Causality. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.3390/su182010453

Marcott, S. A., Bauska, T. K., Buizert, C., Steig, E. J., Rosen, J. L., Cuffey, K. M., Fudge, T. J., Severinghaus, J. P., Ahn, J., Kalk, M. L., McConnell, J. R., Sowers, T., Taylor, K. C., White, J. W. C., & Brook, E. J. (2014). Centennial-scale changes in the global carbon cycle during the last deglaciation.. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature13799

Zhang, X., Royer, D. L., Shi, G., Ichinnorov, N., Herendeen, P. S., Crane, P. R., & Herrera, F. (2024). Estimates of late Early Cretaceous atmospheric CO2 from Mongolia based on stomatal and isotopic analysis of Pseudotorellia.. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajb2.16376