New Record Weekly High For CO2 Measurements at Mauna Loa.

[NNadir]

Last edited Sun Feb 24, 2019, 09:31 AM - Edit history (2)

2019 is shaping up to be a doozy of a year at the Mauna Loa carbon dioxide observatory.

I keep a spreadsheet of the weekly year-to-year measurements increases in the concentrations of CO2 measured there. The most recent measurement in the carbon dioxide in the planetary atmosphere, for the week beginning on February 10, 2019 is 412.41 ppm. This is the highest value ever recorded there. The previous high was 411.16, measured on the week beginning June 10, 2018.

This value, 412.41 is 3.86 ppm higher than the same week last year.

As of this writing, there are 2246 such measurements for weekly year-to-year increases of carbon dioxide increases recorded on the Mauna Loa CO2 observatory's website.

This week's measurement is the 26th highest of all time. This places it in the 98.8th percentile.

Of the 50 highest such measurements, 33 have taken place in the last 5 years, 36 is the last 10 years, and 39 in this century.

Of the 50 highest measurements, 3 have been recorded in 2019, the last measurement having been the 6th such measurement of this young year. We're just getting started: On 46 more measurements to go.

In the last ten years, humanity as a whole has "invested" - my word would be "squandered" - more than two trillion dollars on two forms of so called "renewable energy," specifically solar and wind.

This information is here, in the UNEP Frankfurt School Report, issued each year: Global Trends In Renewable Energy Investment, 2018

It's having an effect, and it's written in the planetary atmosphere.

As for the "astounding growth" of so called "renewable energy" which is often described as "cheap," the following data tells another story:

In this century, world energy demand grew by 164.83 exajoules to 584.95 exajoules.

In this century, world gas demand grew by 43.38 exajoules to 130.08 exajoules.

In this century, the use of petroleum grew by 32.03 exajoules to 185.68 exajoules.

In this century, the use of coal grew by 60.25 exajoules to 157.01 exajoules.

In this century, the solar, wind, geothermal, and tidal energy on which people so cheerfully have bet the entire planetary atmosphere, stealing the future from all future generations, grew by 8.12 exajoules to 10.63 exajoules.

2018 Edition of the World Energy Outlook Table 1.1 Page 38 (I have converted MTOE in the original table to the SI unit exajoules in this text.)

After Fukushima, the world decided that nuclear energy was "too dangerous." Of the 20,000 people killed by the earthquake that destroyed three nuclear reactors at Fukushima, almost everyone of them was killed by seawater. Very few, if any, people died from radiation.

Seven million people die each year around the world from air pollution, almost all of it caused by burning dangerous fossil fuels and biomass.

In the United States, which operates (still) the most nuclear reactors in the world, nuclear plants are being shut and replaced by dangerous natural gas plants, because, gas is "cheap," at least if you don't give a rat's ass about climate change. (Most people don't, really).

Nuclear plants release about 25 grams of CO2/kwh in order to operate, almost all of this release coming from electrical energy utilized to make the fuel. Dangerous natural gas plants release between 500 and 600 grams of CO2/kwh.

Don't worry. Be happy. Climate change isn't your problem. It's the problem of every generation that comes after us. We. Couldn't. Care. Less.

Since the Fukushima event, the average weekly year-to-year increases in carbon dioxide have been 2.35 ppm per week.

In the 21st century, the average weekly year to increases in carbon dioxide have been 2.12 ppm per week.

In the 20th century, these same averages were 1.54 ppm per week.

We're doing great. Elon Musk. Tesla Car. Solar City. Rah. Rah. Rah.

Have a pleasant Sunday.

[NNadir]

1. Erratta.

The post-Fukushima average increases in weekly year-to-year increases was 2.35 ppm of the dangerous fossil fuel waste CO2, not 3.25.

The dyslexic error was unintentional, and has been corrected in the OP.

The prepositional phrase, "In this century..." which was applied to all other forms of energy was added to the sentence describing the combined total of the forms of so called "renewable energy" represented by solar, wind, geothermal and tidal energy referenced in the World Energy Outlook report of the EIA.

[hatrack]

2. It's been fascinating watching this . . ..

Any guesstimates on seasonal peak week in May?

I'd guess potentially as high as 418, give or take a ppm.

[NNadir]

3. This year is shaping up to look a lot like 2015 and 2016.

In 2015, the worst year ever recorded at Mauna Loa, carbon dioxide concentrations rose by 3.05 ppm over 2014. Despite this fact, very few of the weekly year to year measurements of increase were all that dramatic; none appeared in the top 50.

This is an artifact of the fact that the carbon dioxide cycle is not tied to what the situation is on January 1 of a given year; as you correctly note, the peaks come in the May, June time frame.

The annual figures announced at Mauna Loa are a running average, if I recall, are a running average of the months of December and January.

A measurement of the weekly year to year increases (or as are not likely to be seen ever again in our lifetimes, decreases) of 3.05 ppm would be around the 150th highest ever recorded.

The 50th highest ever recorded, as of this writing - sure to change in 2019 - is 3.62 ppm, measured for the week beginning November 17, 2016.

For the week beginning February 8, 2015, the weekly average was at 399.93 ppm. In 2015, the peak measurement was observed in the week beginning May 17, 2015, when the value was 403.95 ppm, just about 4 ppm over the February figure.

That suggests that this year we might well see figures around 416 ppm, if 2019 runs the same as 2015. Of course the conditional clause might be called "optimism."

Twenty-three of the top 50 weekly year to year increases took place in 2016, including the record, 5.04 ppm, measured for the week beginning July 31, 2016.

For the week beginning February 7, 2016, the measurement was 403.76 ppm. The peak for that year was unusually early, and occurred in the week beginning April 10, 2016, and was 408.69 ppm. This less optimistic outcome suggests that we might, as things are getting worse, not better, a value approaching 418 ppm in 2019.

2015 was the last year that anyone now living - and this includes Bill McKibben who does his share by driving a Prius - will ever see a value lower than 400 ppm. It was measured for the week beginning November 1, 2015, at 399.06 ppm.

I guess it is "fascinating" in the sense that the molecular biology of a metastatic cancer cell in a terminally ill human being is fascinating.

Speaking only for myself, I'd rather be bored to death by stability.

Thanks for asking.