The amount of global greenhouse gases, including heavy polluter, Carbon Dioxide (CO2), rose in the atmosphere last year despite recent efforts to curb their increase, according to a US government agency, read a statement on ecoearth.info.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, in its annual greenhouse gas data update, reported that Carbon Dioxide increased by 0.6 percent or 19 billion tons (2.4 parts per million) more than 2006.
In other words, "2.4 molecules of the gas were added to every million molecules of air, boosting the global concentration to nearly 385 ppm," a NOAA statement said.
Before the industrial revolution the total amount of CO2 in the atmosphere was 280 ppm, according to the agency's statement. Since 2000 the amount of gas rose about an average of 2 ppm per year.
Burning coal, oil and natural gas is the main source of CO2 emissions. Oceans, vegetation and soils absorb about one half of all CO2 emissions, while the rest persists in the atmosphere for centuries.
According to the LA Times, the amount of methane, also a large contributor to global warming, also increased by about 27 million tons last year. Despite the yearly increase, the Governor of California, while leading the state against greenhouse gas emissions, has been recently trying to put pressure on the federal government to start requiring lower emissions in cars, according to the Times.
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