What is the correlation between human activity and the rise in CO2 levels? Is there a correlation between CO2 levels and global temperatures?
According to the IPCC, “global atmospheric concentrations of CO2, CH4 and N2O have increased markedly as a result of human activities since 1750 and now far exceed pre-industrial values determined from ice cores spanning many thousands of years” Although there are other GHGs – including Methane and Nitrous Oxide – that play a role in global warming, the main focus is on carbon dioxide – primarily given off by burning fossil fuels. This has the highest radiative forcing (warming) effect than other GHGs, makes up 77% of total anthropogenic GHG emissions as of 2004 and its rate of growth has increased faster than other GHG emissions (IPCC Working Group 3 report) IPCC data illustrates that the global atmospheric carbon concentration of carbon dioxide has risen from about 280 parts per million (ppm) before the Industrial Revolution to about 390 ppm today. Research also found that that these atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations are at levels not seen for at least 600,000 and possibly 25
