CO2 concentrations top 400 ppm throughout northern hemisphere

For the first time in our history, monthly concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere topped 400 ppm in April throughout the northern hemisphere. According to WMO, this threshold is of symbolic and scientific significance and reinforces evidence that the burning of fossil fuels and other human activities are responsible for the continuing increase in heat-trapping greenhouse gases warming our planet.

The data is based on 15 northern hemisphere monitoring stations, including MPI-BGC’s Cape Verde Atmospheric Observatory (CVO), forming the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Global Atmosphere Watch network. All stations of the network reported record atmospheric CO2 concentrations during the seasonal maximum. This occurs early in the northern hemisphere spring before vegetation growth absorbs CO2.