Atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration surpasses 400 ppm

[Dialgarules]

Carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere have broken through a symbolic mark.

Daily measurements of CO2 at a US government agency lab on Hawaii have topped 400 parts per million for the first time.

The station, which sits on the Mauna Loa volcano, feeds its numbers into a continuous record of the concentration of the gas stretching back to 1958.

The last time CO2 was regularly above 400ppm was three to five million years ago - before modern humans existed.

Scientists say the climate back then was also considerably warmer than it is today.

Carbon dioxide is regarded as the most important of the manmade greenhouse gases blamed for raising the temperature on the planet over recent decades.

Human sources come principally from the burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas.

The usual trend seen at the volcano is for the CO2 concentration to rise in winter months and then to fall back as the northern hemisphere growing season kicks in. Forests and other vegetation pull some of the gas out of the atmosphere.

This means the number can be expected to decline by a few ppm below 400 in the coming weeks. But the long-term trend is upwards.

BBC News - Carbon dioxide passes symbolic mark

What do you think the effects of this announcement will be?

Personally, I hope that it restarts the debate on how citizens of industrialized countries can make changes to their lives that reduce carbon dioxide emissions and conserve our resources. I'm definitely not an expert on environmental issues, but I am concerned about the future of our planet, and I think there should at least be greater awareness of the individual impact, positive or negative, that anyone can make.

 

[S.S. Shadow Minun]

I think it was dangerous. Every industry have been moving in reducing carbon dioxide emissions but still not making any positive effects. I hope the steps in reducing emissions could be better than now.

 

[97SaturnSL1]

I think it was dangerous. Every industry have been moving in reducing carbon dioxide emissions but still not making any positive effects. I hope the steps in reducing emissions could be better than now.

Well some courtrys have been reducing co2 but others (guess) havnt

 

[99unownoak]

It's very unfortunate that co2 levels continue to rise and the impact it could have on the planet. I think the global population problem and everyone wanting western style high quality lifestyles will make it difficult to meet carbon dioxide reduction targets.

I'm no expert but I really don't get the 3-5 million year thing, obviously it sounds very bad anyway.

 

[97SaturnSL1]

It's very unfortunate that co2 levels continue to rise and the impact it could have on the planet. I think the global population problem and everyone wanting western style high quality lifestyles will make it difficult to meet carbon dioxide reduction targets.

I'm no expert but I really don't get the 3-5 million year thing, obviously it sounds very bad anyway.

Well then China needs to step up and start cutting their emissions (which aint happining ANYTIME soon)

 

[DerMißingno]

It's very unfortunate that co2 levels continue to rise and the impact it could have on the planet. I think the global population problem and everyone wanting western style high quality lifestyles will make it difficult to meet carbon dioxide reduction targets.

I'm no expert but I really don't get the 3-5 million year thing, obviously it sounds very bad anyway.

Well then China needs to step up and start cutting their emissions (which aint happining ANYTIME soon)

Just China?

 

[Dorothy LaRouge]

It's very unfortunate that co2 levels continue to rise and the impact it could have on the planet. I think the global population problem and everyone wanting western style high quality lifestyles will make it difficult to meet carbon dioxide reduction targets.

I'm no expert but I really don't get the 3-5 million year thing, obviously it sounds very bad anyway.

Well then China needs to step up and start cutting their emissions (which aint happining ANYTIME soon)

Just China?

Yeah, China's hardly the only heavily-industrial country around.

 

[Continent Turtle]

Guys, of course it's bad that all that CO2 gets pumped in the air, but don't exaggerate. There have been far colder periods in time with far higher CO2 levels, so it's not directly related.

 

[97SaturnSL1]

Well then China needs to step up and start cutting their emissions (which aint happining ANYTIME soon)

Just China?

Yeah, China's hardly the only heavily-industrial country around.

THere are many other industrial countries that have very stringent laws about emissions such as the USA, Canada, all of the EU and Japan. there are many developing countrys such as India, Brazil, and Mexico which have just put into effect new emmision standards that will reduce the amount of CO2 in the air.

 

[Dialgarules]

Well then China needs to step up and start cutting their emissions (which aint happining ANYTIME soon)

Just China?

Yeah, China's hardly the only heavily-industrial country around.

THere are many other industrial countries that have very stringent laws about emissions such as the USA, Canada, all of the EU and Japan. there are many developing countrys such as India, Brazil, and Mexico which have just put into effect new emmision standards that will reduce the amount of CO2 in the air.

China and the U.S.A. are by far the largest emitters of anthropogenic carbon dioxide. China's emissions are now slightly more than the U.S., but China also has a population roughly four times as large as the U.S., making its per capita CO2 emissions about one-fourth the size. India has a carbon footprint of roughly a quarter that of the U.S., with about four times the population as well, so, per capita, Indians produce about one-sixteenth as much as Americans. Although the U.S. has worked on reducing its CO2 emissions for quite a while now, it still remains one of the least efficient developed countries and Americans, per capita, have a large carbon footprint compared to Chinese and Indians.

 

[Caitlin]

India has a carbon footprint of roughly a quarter that of the U.S., with about four times the population as well, so, per capita, Indians produce about one-sixteenth as much as Americans.

Well, do keep in mind that a sweeping majority of India is destitute, third-world countryside. They'd probably bulldoze the atmosphere by themselves if they had the infrastructure we in America do.

 

[Almonds]

Simple: We plant one tree per person. Everyone on earth. No exceptions. It'll be instant win.

And this doesn't even sound funny.

 

[Lord Naarghul]

I've already planted five trees.

Not on purpose, but they've been planted. (elm trees grow like weeds and they produce such ridiculous amounts of seeds, anytime you water a lawn you could sprout an elm)

 

[james.mathis.144]

well if things get worse we could end up with one of 2 things: 1. the most known one an insanely hot earth with most of our coastal cities sunk or 2. the least known one, iceball earth where the entire planet is frozen over, that might sound crazy but last time it happened glaciers were receding and temperatures rising, and history has a nasty habit of repeating itself

 

[97SaturnSL1]

I do my part by recycling paper and glass products and scrapping metal products, i turn off power and lights to whatever im not using and dont try to excessivly idle when driving to help reduce emissions. I try to be enviormentally friendly as much as i can but i am not willing to go extreme lengths such as not getting a sports car and getting an electric car like the Nissan Leaf or the Prius. there are some electric cars i do like such as the Chevy Volt and the Ford FOcus Electric. i would like one of those cars to be a supplemental car for short drives but cost does make it seem impracticle for me at the current time. i feel that i should beable to choose what i want to drive and own as my personal transport. where we live we have to get our cars tested for emmisions every two years. we make sure our cars never fail by taking care of them. i dont feel i should give up a luxury like driving because i make sure im within requirements and make a good effort to help reduce emissions whenever i can such as what ive listed