New study: C02 emissions increasing exponentially, COP 15

Release Date: 2009-03-30

The amount of human-produced carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is increasing exponentially and has been for at least the last 50 years, a new study shows.

Measurements from the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii show that the human produced CO2 is growing exponentially in the atmosphere, reports Discovery News.

The study shows that human contribution of the greenhouse gas has been growing at a steady 2.3 percent since recording began in 1958. Thus CO2 is doubling every 30 years. The study is performed by David Hofmann of NOAA's Earth System Research Laboratory in Colorado and a team of researchers.

In 2007 the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) predicted that the preindustrial CO2 level of 280 parts per million (ppm) will climb to over 500 ppm by the year 2050 if emissions are unregulated. The Hofmann study is in line with that prediction.

That growth rate is expected to lead to a global increase of temperatures of three degrees Celsius compared to preindustrial levels. (Photo: Scanpix/Reuters)

Type:	NORMAL
Company:	COP 15
Country:	Denmark
Url:	http://en.cop15.dk/news/view+news?newsid=995