evidence: Average annual atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide (CO₂) reached a record high of 421.08 parts per million (ppm) in 2023. Monthly atmospheric CO₂ concentrations peaked that year in May, at 424 ppm. [...] Annual CO₂ concentrations consistently averaged around 280 ppm before the industrial revolution began, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). However, the mass burning of fossil fuels and deforestation over the past two centuries has released trillions of tons of CO₂ into the atmosphere. This has caused atmospheric CO₂ levels to climb more than 50 percent above pre-industrial levels. [...] National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and ESRL. "Average Carbon Dioxide (Co₂) Levels in The Atmosphere Worldwide from 1959 to 2023 (in Parts per Million)." Statista, Statista Inc., 5 Jan 2024, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1091926/atmospheric-concentration-of-co2-historic/