Seasonal Atmospheric CO2 Levels Hit 397 PPM At Svalbard Monitoring Site - Guardian

[hatrack]

The concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has reached a record high, according to the latest figures released by an internationally regarded measuring station in the Arctic. The measurements suggest that the main greenhouse gas is continuing to increase in the atmosphere at an alarming rate despite the downturn in dip in the rate of increase of the global economy.

Levels of the gas at the Zeppelin research station on Svalbard, northern Norway, last week peaked at over 397 parts per million (ppm), an increase of more than 2.5ppm on 2008. They have since begun to reduce and today stand at 393.7ppm. Prior to the industrial revolution, CO2 levels were around 280ppm.

CO2 levels recorded in Svalbard tend to be higher than the global average, but scientists said the CO2 level they had measured was unprecedented even for that location. "These are the highest figures collected in 50m years," said Johan Strom, professor of atmospheric physics at the government-funded Norwegian Polar Institute, which collected the data. "It is not the level of CO2 that is the problem, because the earth will adapt. What is very worrying is the speed of change. Levels are now increasing 2-3ppm a year.

"The rate of increase is much faster than only 10-20 years ago. You can almost see the changes taking place. Never before have CO2 levels increased so fast," he said. The global annual mean growth rate for 2007 was 2.14ppm – the fourth year in the past six to see an annual rise greater than 2ppm. From 1970 to 2000, the concentration rose by about 1.5ppm each year, but since 2000 it has risen to an average 2.1ppm.

EDIT

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/apr/27/arctic-carbon-dioxide-levels

[depakid]

1. That rate means 450 ppm in less than 20 years

[laconicsax]

2. Don't worry--the plan is to reduce emissions by 2050.

According to the plan (http://www.whitehouse.gov/agenda/energy_and_environment), Obama wants to "Implement an economy-wide cap-and-trade program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent by 2050."

I suspect he's going to do it by implementing the plan to "Develop and Deploy Clean Coal Technology."

So, while the current rate may give us 450 ppm by 2030, rest easy knowing that steps will be taken to reduce emissions 20 years later.

[depakid]

3. The whole "80 percent by 2050" deal brings to mind the economists who project(ed) China

to be an overwhelming economic power by 2030.

They tend to be folks who either didn't take the relevant class- or fell asleep when the concept of overshoot and collapse was discussed.

[laconicsax]

4. Yep...though a big collapse would take care of the reduction. Maybe that's what they mean.