Not so fresh air?

[color=blue:4e0d7c8905][b:4e0d7c8905]NZ carbon dioxide surge blamed on China [/b:4e0d7c8905][/color:4e0d7c8905]
01 June 2006
By MATTHEW TORBIT

China's economic explosion is being blamed for record levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide over New Zealand. National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research principal scientist Dave Lowe said local carbon dioxide levels were at an all-time high. They were rising more than twice as fast as in the 1970s and were expected to push up temperatures.

Dr Lowe said that in the past decade China's coal and petrol consumption had risen sharply, and so too had carbon dioxide levels. Once the Chinese burnt the fossil fuels, carbon dioxide gases were released into the atmosphere and cycled into the southern hemisphere by global weather systems.

New Zealand exports about four million tonnes of high-quality coal to China each year, which is a fraction of what the country burns. "China has really cranked up their economy and burns around 75 per cent of coal being consumed in the world right now," Dr Lowe said.

New Zealand carbon dioxide recordings were established at a monitoring station at Makara in 1970 and shifted to Baring Head, near the entrance to Wellington Harbour, in 1971. Since 1970 there has been a surge from 325 parts per million of atmospheric carbon dioxide to 380 parts per million last year. Research suggests carbon dioxide has risen by 100 parts per million since 1750, before the industrial revolution.

"But what's really interesting is that it took 200 years for the first 50 (parts per million) to rise, where it's only taken 35 years for the second 50." Dr Lowe said the global fossil fuel consumption rate was at its highest in human history ? and would not be sustained for much longer. "All I can say is right now is a good time to start investing in alternative energy sources."