Sky-high Carbon Dioxide levels reached unprecedented heights in May.
In the heart of the Pacific Ocean, on the barren slopes of Hawaii's largest volcano, the Mauna Loa observatory continues its crucial role in tracking global climate change. The latest data from the University of California San Diego and NOAA's Mauna Loa Atmospheric Baseline Observatory reveals that atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) reached an all-time high of 414.8 parts per million (ppm) in May 2019.
This marks the highest seasonal peak recorded in 61 years of observations on top of Mauna Loa. While daily readings at the observatory surpassed 415 ppm in May, NOAA's Barrow observatory on Alaska's North Slope averaged 417.4 ppm that month.
The Mauna Loa observatory, ideally situated for sampling well-mixed air that represents the northern hemisphere average, has been a benchmark sampling location since Charles David Keeling initiated on-site CO measurements in 1958. NOAA began its own measurements there in 1974, and the two research institutions have made complementary independent measurements ever since.
The rate of increase in atmospheric CO concentration is accelerating. Over the last decade, the annual increase has been 2.2 ppm per year. This represents the second-highest annual jump on record. Monthly CO2 values at Mauna Loa first breached the 400 ppm threshold in 2014, a significant milestone in the ongoing story of climate change.
The data from Mauna Loa, along with measurements from sampling stations around the world, are a foundational research dataset for international climate science. These measurements help verify climate model projections, which, if anything, have underestimated the rapid pace of climate change being observed.
Charles Keeling first observed the seasonal rise and subsequent fall in CO levels embedded within annual increases, a cycle now known as the Keeling Curve. The highest monthly mean CO value of the year occurs in May, just before plants start to remove large amounts of CO from the atmosphere during the northern hemisphere growing season.
Today, Ralph Keeling, Charles Keeling's son, runs the Scripps program at Mauna Loa, continuing the legacy of his father's groundbreaking work. Many proposals to mitigate global warming are futile without a rapid decrease of CO emissions from fossil fuels. The rising CO2 levels at Mauna Loa serve as a stark reminder of the urgent need for action.
As we look to the future, the data from Mauna Loa will continue to play a vital role in our understanding of the Earth's changing climate. The observatory's unique location, free from local pollution sources or vegetation, makes it an invaluable tool in our quest for knowledge and a sustainable future.
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