What percentage of carbon mobilized on earth is attributed to human activity?

The correct answer reflects the understanding that while human activity significantly contributes to carbon emissions, the total percentage of carbon mobilized on Earth attributable to these activities is relatively small compared to natural processes. In ecological terms, the planet has a vast carbon cycle that includes both natural sources and sinks of carbon, such as oceans, forests, and soil, which together move a large quantity of carbon in and out of the atmosphere.

Human activities, primarily through fossil fuel combustion, deforestation, and industrial processes, contribute to atmospheric carbon levels. However, when considering the entire carbon mobilization process—which includes natural phenomena like volcanic eruptions and the continuous cycling of carbon among the biosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and lithosphere—the proportion tied directly to human activities is much lower than one might assume. Understanding this dynamic helps emphasize the importance of both individual contributions and the overarching natural processes at play in the Earth's carbon balance.