Carbon Dioxide levels have risen sharply over recent decades, NASA reports.

NASA reports atmospheric carbon dioxide has increased markedly compared with pre‑industrial levels, with ground and satellite records and Antarctic ice cores showing a long-term rise linked to emissions from fossil fuels and other sources.

Atmospheric carbon dioxide is higher now than in pre‑industrial times, according to measurements from ground stations, satellites, and ice cores. These observations combine recent monthly records from sites such as Mauna Loa with older CO2 values preserved in Antarctic ice. The data show both a long-term upward trend and a seasonal cycle tied to plant growth and decay. Scientists report that the rise since the start of industrial times is mainly linked to the burning of fossil fuels and other sources such as wildfires and volcanic activity. Key facts: - Multiple measurement systems (ground, satellite, and ice cores) show a long-term increase in atmospheric CO2 over the past century and longer. - Mauna Loa Observatory provides continuous monthly CO2 records since 1958 showing an overall upward trend with a seasonal sawtooth pattern. - Antarctic ice cores extend the CO2 record through the last three glacial cycles and show that current levels are about 150% of 1750 values (more than a 50% increase since the start of industrial times). - CO2 is a greenhouse gas; scientists report that higher atmospheric CO2 contributes to planetary warming, and the recent increase has been linked mainly to fossil fuel combustion, with contributions from wildfires and volcanic emissions. Summary: The combined measurements document a long-term rise in atmospheric carbon dioxide and note its role as a greenhouse gas connected to warming. Undetermined at this time.