One scientist on TikTok shared a video clarifying a common misconception about atmospheric carbon dioxide.
Ben Armentrout (@tucsonben), an optical sciences Ph.D. candidate at the University of Arizona, said, "Atmospheric CO2 levels are not an issue. They've been as high as they are now [previously]. ... What really is an issue is that they've gotten this high in the last 200 years and not the last 200,000."
@toosoonben Here's the truth about climate change: CO2 levels are not an issue. The rate that they have changed are. #genz #political #climatechange ♬ original sound - Ben
Armentrout provided a screenshot of a line graph showing atmospheric CO2 levels over the past 400,000 years. The data shows multiple upticks and downtrends in CO2 levels, with past peaks reaching as high as 300 parts per million, approximately 300,000 years ago, which data by Climate.gov concurs.
High atmospheric levels have occurred in the past, and they've also fallen to under 200 ppm.
However, as of 2024, current CO2 levels are at 422.8 ppm, according to Climate.gov. These are the highest CO2 levels the planet has ever experienced.
On top of record CO2 levels, the Climate.gov data shows that, "The increase over the last 60 years is 100 times faster than previous natural increases."
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Data records from the Mauna Loa Volcanic Observatory show that in 1958, atmospheric CO2 levels were already at 315 ppm.
Armentrout explains that the Industrial Revolution — a period of great technological changes, beginning with the switch from hand-craft production to machine manufacturing — has caused the planet to change "faster than it's able to adapt."
Our reliance on dirty fuel-powered machines for agriculture, transportation, manufacturing, mining, and construction has collectively contributed to the rapid increase in atmospheric CO2 levels, achieving a dangerous record high at present day.
Higher CO2 levels mean more heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere that encourage rapidly rising global temperatures, which are linked to more frequent and intense weather events, including droughts, wildfires, storm surges, and floods.
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All the time 💯 These extreme weather events jeopardize the safety of our homes, particularly in coastal towns and cities. They also threaten our food supply and the survival of humans and wildlife.
Curbing CO2 levels and stunting its rapid increase is crucial to reducing trapped heat in the atmosphere and stabilizing the climate.
"The further that red line goes up, the faster this change will happen, and the less time we will have to make sure that Earth is a place that is habitable for human life for decades to come," Armentrout warned.
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