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Nasa scientists said yesterday the US space agency will launch its first greenhouse gas detector satellite on July 1.
In April, atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide topped 400 particles per million in the northern hemisphere, the highest level in the past 800,000 years according to Nasa.
The Orbiting Carbon Observatory-Two satellite will provide a more complete picture of man-made and naturally occurring CO2 emissions as well as the effects of carbon “sinks” such as oceans and forests, which absorb and trap the greenhouse gas.
“Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere plays a critical role in our planet’s energy balance and is a key factor in our climate changing,” said Nasa earth-science director Michael Freilich.
Scientists have concluded that increased CO2 emissions from fossil fuels and deforestation have upset the planet’s natural carbon cycle, prompting rising temperatures and planet-wide climate change.