Reacting to the release of new figures showing that the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere is at its highest level for at least 650,000 years, head of Greenpeace's climate change campaign Robin Oakley said:
"We're now witnessing a key moment in the climate change story and it's not good news. The last time the atmosphere was this choked with CO2 humans were yet to evolve as a species. To even consider building new runways and coal-fired power stations at this juncture in history is an unpardonable folly, but Gordon Brown seems determined to stumble forward regardless with his ill-conceived plans in the face of the science and widespread public opposition."
Scientists say atmospheric CO2 levels now stand at 387 parts per million (ppm), up almost 40 per cent since the industrial revolution.
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. Scientists say the shift could indicate that the Earth is losing its natural ability to soak up billions of tons of carbon each year.
For more information, contact the Greenpeace press office on 0207 865 8255.
