Science Centres: Energy

Carbon dioxide levels rising fast in New Zealand too

Carbon dioxide levels are rising fast here, though not quite as fast as those recently reported for Hawaii.

Reports on CO₂ data from Mauna Loa, Hawaii, state that the recent growth rate there is averaging 1.5 parts per million (ppm) per year, but the rate exceeded 2 ppm in both 2002 and 2003.

NIWA scientists have been measuring CO₂ concentrations at Baring Head near Wellington since 1973. Over the past three decades CO₂ concentrations have risen from 320 ppm in 1973 to 374 ppm in 2003.

The levels of CO₂ globally have been increasing at rates of about 1.5 ppm per year, but we have seen annual increases of more than 2 ppm on three occasions in the last decade. In the 20 years before that, we recorded increases of that size only twice at Baring Head.

The overall concentrations in the southern hemisphere are lower than those in the northern hemisphere because the major sources of CO₂ emissions are in the northern hemisphere.

The NIWA research, funded by the Foundation for Research, Science & Technology, is part of an ongoing investigation to help understand what drives recent increases in CO₂.