Knowledge Tree
atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration
Also known as: atmospheric carbon dioxide, atmospheric CO2, CO2, atmospheric CO2 concentration, atmospheric carbon dioxide levels, atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration, atmospheric carbon concentration
Facts (30)
Sources
Sustainable Energy Transition for Renewable and Low Carbon Grid ... frontiersin.org Mar 23, 2022 14 facts
measurementThe global average concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide reached a record high of 412.5 ppm in 2020.
measurementCurrent climate models predict a 1.5–4.5°C rise in Earth's temperature if atmospheric CO2 concentration is doubled, as cited in work by Kabeyi and Oludolapo (2020a; 2020b).
claimGlobal atmospheric carbon dioxide is increasing due to fossil fuel combustion in powerplants, transport, and industrial processes.
claimThe Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) established a target to stabilize atmospheric carbon concentration at 350 ppm for CO2 while limiting global temperature rise to 2°C above preindustrial levels, a target ratified by many nations globally.
referenceLindsey published 'Climate Change: Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide' in the 'Understanding Climate' series for the US Government in 2021.
claimThe rate of increase in atmospheric CO2 concentration accelerated between 1960 and 2020, driven by higher levels of industrial activity and increased fossil fuel usage.
claimSvante Arrhenius observed that doubling atmospheric CO2 concentration would warm the Earth by 5–6°C, as cited in work by Kabeyi and Oludolapo (2020a; 2020b).
measurementAtmospheric CO2 concentration is approximately 50% higher than it was at the beginning of the industrial revolution, according to the International Energy Agency.
measurementAtmospheric carbon dioxide concentration increased from approximately 328 ppm in 1970 to 412.5 ppm in 2020.
claimRoger Revelle and Hans Suess stated in 1957 that the accumulation of atmospheric carbon dioxide constituted a large-scale geophysical experiment with unknown consequences that should be monitored and controlled.
referenceLindsey published 'Climate Change: Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide' in the 'Understanding Climate' series for the US Government in 2020.
claimAnthropogenic sources of atmospheric carbon dioxide include fossil fuel combustion for power generation, transportation, industrial activities, and domestic activities, according to Lindsey (2021).
claimIncreased atmospheric carbon dioxide is responsible for approximately two-thirds of the total energy imbalance and temperature rise.
measurementThe current annual rate of increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide is approximately 100 times faster than natural increases observed over the past 60 years, such as those during the last ice age 11,000–17,000 years ago.
ESS Subtopic 6.2: Climate change – Causes and Impacts mrgscience.com 8 facts
claimThe planetary boundary for climate change is defined by two key factors: atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations and radiative forcing.
measurementCurrent atmospheric carbon dioxide levels have surpassed 400 parts per million (ppm), which is beyond the planetary boundary for maintaining climate stability.
claimThe current atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration of over 400 ppm is a level not seen in millions of years.
referenceThe National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) provides a graph of global temperatures and atmospheric carbon dioxide levels from 1880 to the present on their Global Climate Change Indicators page.
claimBy the mid-20th century, global fossil fuel consumption for electricity, transportation, and industry increased dramatically, leading to an unprecedented rise in atmospheric carbon dioxide levels.
claimAncient sediments buried beneath the ocean floor, deposited during the last ice age, provide insights into past ocean oxygen levels and their connection to atmospheric carbon dioxide during that era.
measurementAtmospheric carbon dioxide levels were approximately 280 parts per million (ppm) before the Industrial Revolution.
claimThe sharp rise in atmospheric carbon dioxide is a primary driver of the enhanced greenhouse effect, which causes global temperatures to rise.
Comprehensive Overview on the Present State and Evolution of ... link.springer.com Aug 9, 2024 3 facts
referenceCheng et al. reconstructed worldwide monthly patterns of atmospheric CO2 concentrations from 1850 to 2013 using data from the Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center.
referenceAtmospheric carbon dioxide variations at the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii were documented by Keeling, C.D., et al. in Tellus (1976).
referenceAtmospheric carbon dioxide data is maintained and integrated into a globally consistent measurement record by NOAA/GML and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, as referenced by Tans, P. and Keeling, R. (2023).
The Ecology of Photosynthetic Pathways | Learn Science at Scitable nature.com 2 facts
referenceEhleringer, J. R. et al. published 'C-4 photosynthesis, atmospheric CO2 and climate' in Oecologia 112, 285–299 in 1997.
claimC4 photosynthesis is a relatively recent evolutionary innovation, with the earliest appearances occurring during the mid-Oligocene epoch approximately thirty million years ago when atmospheric CO2 levels were low.
Scientific consensus on climate change - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org 1 fact
claimTotal radiative forcing is positive and has led to an uptake of energy by the climate system, with the largest contribution caused by the increase in atmospheric CO2 concentration since 1750.
Scientists Say New Government Climate Report Twists Their Work wired.com Jul 30, 2025 1 fact
claimThe Department of Energy report includes a chart from a 2019 paper by Zeke Hausfather, which the report authors claim demonstrates that climate models have "consistently overestimated observations" of atmospheric CO2.
How Climate Change is Changing Animal Habits neefusa.org Oct 4, 2023 1 fact
claimIncreased atmospheric carbon dioxide levels increase ocean acidity, which decreases the ability of marine organisms to form shells and calcium carbonate structures like coral skeletons.