390 ppm CO2 Reported By Atmospheric Monitoring Station in Norway
13 February 2009
The Norwegian Polar Institute has reported atmospheric carbon dioxide levels of 390 ppm (parts per million) at its Zeppelinfjellet atmospheric monitoring station in Ny Ålesund during the months of November and December 2008, with levels of 394 ppm CO2 reached on several days. The measurements represent the highest levels recorded since monitoring began at the station.
Direct evidence of increasing atmospheric CO2 was established forty years ago with continuous measurements made at the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawai'i, as well as measurements of flask samples collected periodically at the South Pole. Early data showed a rise in concentration in 1959 as compared to the results of the previous year, at which time CO2 levels were approximately 316 ppm. Later analyses of ice cores and ocean floor sediment have established a record of atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide as far back as 800,000 years[1], none of which have been as high as present concentrations of CO2.
Further measurements have shown a persistent year-to-year increase, as well as a decadal acceleration in the rate of increase. Approximately 280 atmospheric monitoring stations are now scattered around the globe, supplemented by 3,000 floating buoys as well as satellites from Europe, Japan, and the United States.
[1] Lüthi et al. (2008) High-resolution carbon dioxide concentration record 650,000-800,000 years before present.Nature 453, 15 May 2008 doi: 10.1038/nature06949
Oh NO Mr. Bill!!! Of course if we are to look at the CO2 record from the last 500 million years we see average concentrations at least double (often four times) present! And if we look at a comparison of CO2 to climate temperature LO and BEHOLD - Earth's coolest periods seem to correspond to the highest levels of CO2!! Huh?
"Atmospheric carbon dioxide levels for the last
500 million years"
Daniel H. Rothman† Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Proceedings National Academy of Sciences, USA
http://www.pnas.org/content/99/7/4167.full.pdf+html
You mean if we look beyond a very narrow window of time - at Earth's climate on a geologic scale - CO2 plays little to no role in climate? But if we want to use Global Warming(r) as an agenda for behavior control and social engineering - we need to throw out the hard SCIENCE that demonstrates CO2 has little to do with climate.
Posted by: Reel$$ | 13 February 2009 at 10:13 AM
Georg Beck's recovery and republishing of the 19th century Science measurements of atmospheric CO2,has altered our view. Those are laboratory results, and not derived from proxies of reading tree rings, ice cores, or tea leaves with their inherent uncertainties.
The Noble Laureates of the 19th century recorded 440 ppm as the highest measurements, due to the Tambora eruption, and not 390 ppm measured today. The rate of increase has slowed over the last decade.
The world didn't end at the "unthinkable" 440 ppm. It won't over the newly recorded 390 ppm. Instead the World's plant kingdom has 30% more plant mass than 40 years ago, as measured by Satellites. The natural fertilization effect of increased CO2 is felt. Our crop yields have risen thanks to increased CO2. Even though temperatures have declined for a decade.
CO2 has been demonized when, its effects are overwhelmingly beneficial. AGW is increasingly being discredited as a real problem, but pushed now as way to enrich the politically-connected class.
Posted by: Stan Peterson | 13 February 2009 at 12:29 PM
.
I forgot: Is this where I am supposed to run in circles and scream? Or am I supposed to turn my God given liberties over to a government bureaucracy in order for your average dolt to tell me how to live my life?
Please stop wasting our resources on regulating breathing - CO2 - a non-pollutant and use our precious resources to head towards energy independence and cleaning up pollution. The Globalwarmists who hyperventilate (bad, Bad, BAD!!! - you emit more CO2) over these things are just silly. Your religion has been proven false. Please move onto the next panic attack.
.
Posted by: The Goracle | 13 February 2009 at 01:58 PM
"You mean if we look beyond a very narrow window of time"
Civilization has been built on the climate in a very narrow window of time, with agriculture established around consistent rainfall patterns. GHG emissions create changes in the atmosphere that change those patterns, as evidenced by the droughts in Australia, China, and the western US (among other places).
"I forgot: Is this where I am supposed to run in circles and scream?"
No, no, no... Cheney, errr, Bush is now out of office.
"use our precious resources to head towards energy independence"
Actually, using LESS of our precious resources will reduce our energy dependence.
"The Globalwarmists who hyperventilate (bad, Bad, BAD!!!"
It's hard to imagine that it's actually adults who write posts like the above.
"Your religion has been proven false."
Conspicuous overconsumption is the religion, actually, and the science behind AGW is anything but proven false. Unless you think that Limbaugh, Beck, or similar pundits are today's scientific thought leaders. Sadly, it is obviously the case for many.
Posted by: Will S | 13 February 2009 at 04:45 PM
@ Will S.
There has been life on the Earth going back some 3.5 BILLION years. The climate record in the MIT study (linked by Reel$$) shows that CO2 was much higher with little effect (outside of cooling) on Earth's temperature.
Attempting to deny the hard science that demonstrates this is futile. AGW theory is built entirely around CO2 - when science demonstrates zero correlation between CO2 and Earth's temperature - the theory fails.
There may be warming - but it is definitely not caused by man-made CO2.
"Conspicuous overconsumption is the religion." You betray your religious identity. And confirm your self-election to judge the action of human beings. It is not your place to do so. Enlightened beings practice less judgment and more acceptance in their evolution. Subscribing to that process might relieve some of your religious fervor.
Posted by: sulleny | 13 February 2009 at 05:22 PM
Funny thing: measurements in Mauna Loa indicate reduction in atmospheric CO2 concentrations, which is not confirmed by measurements in other stations around the world. Probable explanation is that cooler ocean around Mauna Loa adsorbs more CO2.
Posted by: Andrey Levin | 13 February 2009 at 05:53 PM
Fallacy 1. That because life has existed in times of higher CO2, raising CO2 now will not have detrimental effects.
Fallacy 2. That in order for CO2 to be driving current warming CO2 concentrations have to be correlated with high temperatures in the past.
Fallacy 3. That either of the previous fallacies promulgated by idiots have any hope in fooling anyone with a half a brain.
Posted by: Marcus | 14 February 2009 at 10:10 PM
Fallacy 4. Fallacies, 1, 2, and 3 are true.
Posted by: Reel$$ | 14 February 2009 at 11:23 PM