Concentration of Carbon Dioxide Since the Industrial Revolution

CO₂ is a naturally occurring gas and an important part of Earth’s carbon cycle. Prior to the Industrial Revolution (1750’s), CO₂ concentrations in our atmosphere were approximately 280 ppm. However, with the onset of the Industrial Revolution, humans began to contribute to CO₂ concentrations being emitted to the atmosphere through the combustion of fossil fuels. As populations continued to grow, so did our use of fossil fuels. This accelerated use has caused CO₂ concentrations to increase exponentially over the last century and we have recently measured readings of up to 400 ppm.