Global warming
World Co2 levels at record levels
The figures (available on the NOAA's website) confirm that carbon dioxide is accumulating in hte atmosphere faster than expected. From 1970 to 2000 the concentration rose by more or less 1.5ppm each year while since 2000 the annual rise is of 2.1ppm.
Regarding the mean growth rates of CO2 in the atmosphere, it stood at 2.14pmm in 2007 which was the 4th year in the past six to see an annual rise above 2ppm.
Scientists now say that this shift could indicate that the Earth loses its natural capacity to soak up a big part of the billions of tons of carbon emitted each year. The models assume that about 50% of our future emissions will be re-absorbed by forests and oceans, but the new findings suggest that this may be too optimistic.
