The atmospheric level of carbon dioxide has been steadily rising since the 1960's. In 2021, atmospheric carbon dioxide levels reached a high
of 416.45 parts per million, in comparison to 1960 levels which stood at about 316.91 parts per million. Carbon dioxide emissions largely come from human activities such as burning fossil fuels and deforestation, and are a primary driver of climate change. Global atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide 1959-2021
Historic average carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in the atmosphere worldwide from 1959 to 2021 (in parts per million)*
CharacteristicConcentration in parts per million 2021
416.45
2020
414.24
2019
411.66
2018
408.72
2017
406.76
2016
404.41
2015
401.01
2014
398.87
2013
396.74
2012
394.06
2011
391.85
2010
390.1
2009
387.64
2008
385.83
2007
384.02
2006
382.09
2005
379.98
2004
377.7
2003
375.98
2002
373.45
2001
371.32
2000
369.71
1999
368.54
1998
366.84
1997
363.88
1996
362.74
1995
360.97
1994
358.96
1993
357.21
1992
356.54
1991
355.7
1990
354.45
1989
353.2
1988
351.69
1987
349.31
1986
347.61
1985
346.35
1984
344.85
1983
343.15
1982
341.48
1981
340.12
1980
338.76
1979
336.84
1978
335.41
1977
333.84
1976
332.03
1975
331.12
1974
330.19
1973
329.68
1972
327.46
1971
326.32
1970
325.68
1969
324.62
1968
323.05
1967
322.18
1966
321.37
1965
320.04
1964
319.62
1963
318.99
1962
318.45
1961
317.64
1960
316.91
1959
315.98
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Source More information Survey
time period 1959 to 2021 Supplementary notes Data from March 1958 through April 1974 have been obtained by C. David Keeling. Select Mauna Loa CO2 annual mean data to access data. Open this statistic
in...
CO2 expressed as a mole fraction in dry air, micromol/mol, abbreviated as ppm. Data has been measured at Mauna Loa Observatory, Hawaii as it constitutes the longest record of direct carbon dioxide measurements in the atmosphere.
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Statistics on " Emissions worldwide "
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