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Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide & Global Surface Temperature Trends

The recent increase in concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is the result of human activities, mainly the burning of fossil fuels. As the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere has increased, so has the average surface temperature of the Earth.

The relationship between atmospheric CO2 concentration and surface temperature is shown here for the past 130 years.

Source: NASA-GISS, CDIAC, NOAA ESRL