Why scientists monitor carbon dioxide levels at a Hawaiian volcano – Yale Climate Connections

Mauna Loa Observatory: A Critical Asset for Monitoring Climate Action (SDG 13)

Overview of the Research Facility

• Location: The Mauna Loa Observatory is a remote outpost situated on a volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii, two miles above sea level.
• Mission: It serves as one of the world’s most important research sites for monitoring climate change.
• Legacy: For nearly 70 years, the observatory has maintained the world’s longest-running direct record of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2).

Analysis of Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide Trends

1. Historical Baseline: In the 1950s, scientific measurements recorded atmospheric CO2 levels at less than 320 parts per million (ppm).
2. Primary Driver: The accumulation of CO2 in the atmosphere is a direct result of human activities, primarily the combustion of fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas. This process traps heat, leading to global warming.
3. Current Status: Today, atmospheric CO2 concentrations have surpassed 420 ppm, a significant increase that highlights the accelerating rate of climate change.
4. Data Integrity: Mauna Loa’s high altitude and remote location ensure that the measurements are not influenced by local pollution, providing a reliable benchmark for the global atmosphere.

Relevance to United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

• SDG 13 (Climate Action): The data collected at Mauna Loa is fundamental to tracking progress on climate action. It provides the empirical evidence needed to inform international climate policy, strengthen resilience, and improve education and awareness regarding humanity’s impact on the climate.
• SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy): By directly measuring the atmospheric consequences of burning fossil fuels, the observatory’s findings underscore the critical urgency of transitioning to clean and sustainable energy sources to mitigate climate change.
• SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities): Understanding long-term climate trends is essential for developing resilient urban infrastructure and policies that can adapt to the impacts of climate change, thereby making human settlements safer and more sustainable.
• SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals): The decades-long, uninterrupted operation of the Mauna Loa Observatory represents a successful global scientific partnership dedicated to monitoring a shared global challenge, embodying the collaborative spirit required to achieve all SDGs.

Conclusion: The Imperative of Continued Monitoring

The continuous and reliable data stream from the Mauna Loa Observatory is indispensable for monitoring and understanding the anthropogenic influence on the global climate. This scientific work is a cornerstone for achieving multiple Sustainable Development Goals and is critical for guiding global efforts to build a sustainable and resilient future.

Analysis of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article primarily addresses issues related to the following Sustainable Development Goals:

• SDG 13: Climate Action

  This is the most direct and central SDG related to the article. The text focuses entirely on the measurement of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2), a primary greenhouse gas, and its role in warming the planet. The Mauna Loa Observatory’s work is described as “one of the most important climate change research sites in the world,” and its data is “critical for monitoring and understanding how people are influencing the climate.”

• SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

  The article explicitly links the rise in atmospheric CO2 to a specific energy source. It states, “As people burn fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas, carbon dioxide builds up in the atmosphere.” This directly connects the problem of climate change to the global energy system, implicitly highlighting the need for a transition away from these energy sources, which is the core focus of SDG 7.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the article’s focus on monitoring the cause and effect of climate change, the following specific targets can be identified:

1. Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning.

   The article emphasizes that the data from Mauna Loa is “critical for monitoring and understanding how people are influencing the climate.” This scientific understanding is the fundamental prerequisite for governments and organizations to develop and integrate effective climate change policies and strategies. The continuous record of rising CO2 levels provides the evidence base needed to justify and shape such measures.

2. Target 13.3: Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning.

   The long-term data from the Mauna Loa Observatory, showing a rise from “less than 320 parts per million in the 1950s to over 420 parts per million today,” serves as a powerful tool for education and awareness-raising. This data makes the abstract concept of climate change tangible and demonstrates the scale of human impact. The observatory itself represents an institution with the capacity for climate change monitoring and early warning.

3. Target 7.2: By 2030, increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix.

   While the article does not mention renewable energy, it clearly identifies the problem: “As people burn fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas, carbon dioxide builds up in the atmosphere.” The data presented on rising CO2 levels serves as the primary justification for pursuing Target 7.2. By documenting the negative consequences of fossil fuel combustion, the article underscores the urgency of transitioning to cleaner energy sources.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Yes, the article explicitly and implicitly refers to indicators that are crucial for measuring progress.

• Indicator: Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide Concentration

  This is the most direct indicator mentioned in the article. It is explicitly quantified: “scientists have found that carbon dioxide levels have risen from less than 320 parts per million in the 1950s to over 420 parts per million today.” This measurement is a primary global indicator for tracking the accumulation of greenhouse gases, which is the driver of climate change. It directly measures the state of the climate system and the effectiveness (or lack thereof) of global mitigation efforts.

• Implied Indicator: Rate of Fossil Fuel Consumption

  The article implies this indicator by stating a direct causal link: “As people burn fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas, carbon dioxide builds up in the atmosphere.” Although the article does not provide data on fuel consumption, it identifies it as the source of the problem. Therefore, tracking the consumption of fossil fuels is an implied indicator for measuring the root cause of the rising CO2 levels discussed. A reduction in this indicator would signal progress towards achieving climate and clean energy goals.

4. Summary Table of Findings

Source: yaleclimateconnections.org