Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide hits new record; the rise's acceleration.

Atmospheric carbon dioxide hit a new all time record at the Mauna Loa observation site, as it has in every May since observations began. 394.15 ppm, on track to hit 400 ppm in spring 2014. Recent graph below:

Carbon dioxide's rate of increase in the atmosphere has increased during every decade of record, except for the 1990s, when it was slowed by the effects of Mount Pinatubo's eruption in 1991. The 2000s show a continuing acceleration, making up for the slowdown of the 1990s. The rate of acceleration is about 0.3 ppm faster for each year per decade. It is very disturbing.

Finally, arctic sea ice is melting very rapidly. It is too early to say that it will reach a new record lowest summer minimum this September, but it is behaving as it would were it to reach a new minimum this year.

And I love Mike Luckovich's cartoons. Especially this one: