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Atmospheric CO2 now 50% higher than pre-industrial levels

By Michael Irving
June 05, 2022
Atmospheric CO2 now 50% higher than pre-industrial levels
Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii, where CO2 measurements are made annually, including the new record-breaking ones
Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii, where CO2 measurements are made annually, including the new record-breaking ones
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Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii, where CO2 measurements are made annually, including the new record-breaking ones
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Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii, where CO2 measurements are made annually, including the new record-breaking ones
A graph illustrating the mean monthly carbon dioxide measured at Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii since the 1950s
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A graph illustrating the mean monthly carbon dioxide measured at Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii since the 1950s

Climate scientists have reported the highest levels of carbon dioxide ever recorded in the atmosphere. The latest in a long line of record-breaking years saw the world hit a grim new milestone of 50 percent higher than pre-industrial levels, a concentration not seen in over 4 million years.

Measurements made by the Mauna Loa Atmospheric Baseline Observatory in Hawaii revealed that carbon dioxide in the atmosphere peaked at 420.99 parts per million (ppm) in May. An independent team of scientists at the Scripps Institute was in close agreement, recording a monthly average of 420.78 ppm.

This is the highest CO2 concentration ever recorded in human history – and if that statement sounds familiar, it’s because we’ve been consistently breaking that record over the last few years. In May 2021 the record was set at 419.13 ppm, up from 416.21 ppm in May 2020, and 415.26 ppm in May 2019. For reference, scientists consider 350 ppm a safe level, as reflected in the name of the climate-focused non-profit organization 350.org.

A graph illustrating the mean monthly carbon dioxide measured at Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii since the 1950s
A graph illustrating the mean monthly carbon dioxide measured at Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii since the 1950s

Having breached the 420 ppm milestone for the first time, atmospheric CO2 levels are now 50 percent higher than pre-industrial levels, which consistently hovered around 280 ppm for the almost 6,000 years of human civilization. In fact, Earth hasn’t seen CO2 levels this high for over 4 million years, during a period known as the Pliocene Climatic Optimum.

The relentless increase of carbon dioxide measured at Mauna Loa is a stark reminder that we need to take urgent, serious steps to become a more Climate Ready Nation.
Rick Spinrad, NOAA

At that point, average temperatures were 3.9 °C (7 °F) higher than the pre-industrial baseline, and sea levels were between 5 and 25 m (16 and 82 ft) higher than today. And since it looks like our record-breaking won’t be slowing down any time soon, we might be headed that way again, with disastrous consequences.

“The science is irrefutable: humans are altering our climate in ways that our economy and our infrastructure must adapt to,” said NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad. “We can see the impacts of climate change around us every day. The relentless increase of carbon dioxide measured at Mauna Loa is a stark reminder that we need to take urgent, serious steps to become a more Climate Ready Nation.”

Source: NOAA

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EnvironmentClimateClimate CrisisCarbon DioxideNOAAAtmospherePollution
10 comments
Michael Irving
Michael Irving
Michael has always been fascinated by space, technology, dinosaurs, and the weirder mysteries of the universe. With a Bachelor of Arts in Professional Writing and several years experience under his belt, he joined New Atlas as a staff writer in 2016.

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10 comments
annevance
The general idea is that the industry is to blame.
But did we ever calculate the effect of the increased world population and the effect of all the forests we have destroyed since the industrial revolution or further back.
Robt
China and India between them are burning vast amounts of coal which is the dirtiest possible fuel (unless you include wood burning)
How about getting them to reduce their emissions too?
Mike Vidal
To add to the prior post, what about all the volcanic eruptions and the amount of CO2 they release?
edjudy
The general idea is that human activity is a primary contributor to rising atmospheric carbon dioxide levels. Wayeeeee more humans means wayeeeee more human activity. Cutting forests, digging up and burning fossil fuels, venting methane directly to the atmosphere, etc. So yes, "we" ARE calculating the effect of increased world population. I'm surprised anyone would ask about that.
Bob B
There are those who claim that CO2 levels actually lag behind temperature changes. There are also those who claim we are heading into another deep cold spell due to changes in Sun activity. If we indeed start experiencing a prolonged cold spell and there is no corresponding immediate change in CO2 levels, I wonder how the politicians/scientists will spin that data? Only time will tell if any of those predictions are correct.
Steve Barry
Fantastic! More CO2 will help with greening of the planet.
DBK
So, we use a single data point for reaching scientific conclusions? I realize that CO2 eventually will defuse throughout the atmosphere over time, but when there's Southeast Asia, Japan, China and India, to name a few, that are major industrial powers and major contributors of CO2 Emissions, don't you think it's time to get more data points from different global areas to get a better picture in this Grand Green Experiment?
Nelson Hyde Chick
If only in the sixties we had listened to people like the Ehrlichs, Rachel Carson, Club of Rome and Norman Borlaug who were all warning us about the dangers of overpopulation, and that was when there were only three billion of us; if we headed their advice and humanity was currently approaching four billion instead of eight, climate change would be distant blip on our radar, the Gulf Spill, fracking and the development of Canada’s tar sands would not have happened because we would not be that hard up for oil yet, and the word Anthropocene would not have been coined to label mankind driving all other life to extinction.
Johannes
DBK, this Grand Green Experiment, as you call it, is based on vastly more than a single data point. If you need evidence from some distance away from Mauna Loa, try the observations from Cape Grim, in Tasmania. If the atmospheric CO2 trend is so similar at two locations geographically so far apart, don't you think it's fair to expect that they indeed represent what the atmosphere is experiencing? https://i0.wp.com/62e528761d0685343e1c-f3d1b99a743ffa4142d9d7f1978d9686.ssl.cf2.rackcdn.com/files/145901/area14mp/image-20161114-5075-1iwk8am.png?ssl=1
Pardon Me
"...we need to take urgent, serious steps to become a more Climate Ready Nation.” Good to see someone making this statement rather than just "cut CO2 emissions." Our tax dollars would be better spent preparing for what is coming.