How much have carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in the atmosphere increased in a lifetime?

In a new video, we explore global CO2 levels with Sandra, a fictional NASA scientist. We start with Sandra’s birth in 1989, and see how CO2 levels have risen at every major milestone of her life.

We also go back in time to see how CO2 levels have increased since the birth of Sandra’s grandmother.

A video of how carbon dioxide has increased over Sandra's lifetime, a fictional NASA scientist

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) has decades of expertise in measuring greenhouse gases from space, including CO2 and methane. Along with ground stations, satellite missions such as the Orbiting Carbon Observatories help us track just how much CO2 levels are rising globally, plus regional dips and surges.

So, how much has CO2 increased over your lifetime?