http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/may/12/climatechange.carbonemissions

The concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has reached a
record high, according to new figures that renew fears that climate
change could begin to slide out of control.

Scientists at the Mauna Loa observatory in Hawaii say that CO2 levels
in the atmosphere now stand at 387 parts per million (ppm), up almost
40% since the industrial revolution and the highest for at least the
last 650,000 years.

The figures, published by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA) on its website, also confirm that carbon
dioxide, the chief greenhouse gas, is accumulating in the atmosphere
faster than expected. The annual mean growth rate for 2007 was 2.14ppm
– the fourth year in the past six to see an annual rise greater than
2ppm. From 1970 to 2000, the concentration rose by about 1.5ppm each
year, but since 2000 the annual rise has leapt to an average 2.1ppm.

Scientists say the shift could indicate that the Earth is losing its
natural ability to soak up billions of tons of carbon each year.
Climate models assume that about half our future emissions will be
re-absorbed by forests and oceans, but the new figures confirm this
may be too optimistic. If more of our carbon pollution stays in the
atmosphere, it means emissions will have to be cut by more than
currently projected to prevent dangerous levels of global warming.

Martin Parry, co-chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change's working group on impacts, said: "Despite all the talk, the
situation is getting worse. Levels of greenhouse gases continue to
rise in the atmosphere and the rate of that rise is accelerating. We
are already seeing the impacts of climate change and the scale of
those impacts will also accelerate, until we decide to do something
about it."