Signal Carbon dioxide up 40% since the early 20th century to a two-million-year high

Summary

The report states that atmospheric carbon dioxide has jumped by 40% since the early twentieth century. Such concentrations have not been seen for at least two million years. The report holds that human activities, including burning coal, oil and gas and changing land use, have greatly raised levels of carbon dioxide, methane and other greenhouse gases. These gases act as a heat-trapping blanket and drive global temperatures upward. As a result, average temperatures at the Earth's surface have risen by roughly 1.3 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. The report also points out that effects such as rising seas will persist even once net zero is achieved and temperatures level off.