Cape Grim

…both metaphorically and now, perhaps literally.

The Age reports on the CSIRO findings:

Within the next couple of weeks, a remote part of north-western Tasmania is likely to grab headlines around the world as a major climate change marker is passed.

The aptly named Cape Grim monitoring site jointly run by CSIRO and the Bureau of Meteorology will witness the first baseline reading of 400 parts per million (ppm) of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, researchers predict.

Hardly news, considering this [2006], this [2009], this [2012], this [2013] this & this [2015], this [2016], just to name a few. Oh!  let’s not forget my vote for the understatement of the epoch:

…there’s a lot riding on how the Earth spins…

the earth’s axis…

Interest

Considering the existential nature of the public policy challenge, it most certainly appears Australian interest [as gauged by Google search trends – yes, hardly scientific] suggests at least one of the trends being graphed is certainly “going south”.

Leadership anyone?  Bueller?  Bueller?

Google Search

The most recent reading on May 6 was 399.9 ppm, according to readings compiled by the CSIRO team led by Paul Krummel that strip out influences from land, including cities such as Melbourne to the north. (See chart below, with the red line showing the baseline CO2.)

Historical Trends

Carbon dioxide concentrations in the air were reasonably stable (typically quoted as 278 ppm) before industrialisation (in the timeframe of human existence).

Since industrialisation (typically measured from the mid-18th century), carbon dioxide concentrations have increased by about 40 per cent, based on measurements from Cape Grim and on air samples collected from Antarctic ice at Law Dome. [ Source: CSIRO ]

Links

• CSIRO Cape Grim Data
• CSIRO Monthly Baseline Data – Text file
• CSIRO Cape Grim Marine & Atmospheric Research – All Graphs
• The Debate is over – 2009
• 330 and Counting – 2012
• Hot, Hotter, Hottest – 2013
• Third Hottest on Record & Yeah, let’s  – 2015,
• Hot, Hotter, Hottest – Again  – 2016
• The earth’s axis…