A
dramatic decline in the ability of the Earth to soak up man - made
emissions of carbon dioxide, and a corresponding acceleration
in the rate of increase of greenhouse gas
in the atmosphere, have been detected for the first time by scientists.
Indeed, the report challenges a common belief that America's
dramatic natural gas boom — made possible by the hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, of shale gas wells — is the main factor
in the
decline of energy - related
emissions.