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🗞️ Driving the news: The Trump administration has proposed shutting down the Mauna Loa Atmospheric Baseline Observatory, a key facility in Hawaii that has been gathering crucial data on atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) levels since 1958
• This lab’s data has been instrumental in confirming the human impact on climate change, with its measurements directly contributing to the iconic Keeling Curve, which tracks the rise in CO2
• The proposed closure is part of a broader effort to reduce climate-related research funding within NOAA, which could lead to discontinuities in long-standing climate records
🔭 The context: Mauna Loa’s lab has played a pivotal role in climate science, providing the most reliable data on CO2 trends over decades
• The Keeling Curve, developed by Charles David Keeling and now overseen by his son Ralph Keeling, has shown a steady rise in CO2 levels from 313 parts per million (ppm) in 1958 to over 430 ppm in recent years
• The Trump administration’s proposed budget cuts would significantly affect NOAA’s ability to continue this research, highlighting the ongoing debate around climate science funding in the U.S
🌍 Why it matters for the planet: The Mauna Loa observatory is crucial for understanding the long-term trajectory of human-induced climate change
• Without consistent data from such stations, it would be harder to track progress on climate action and identify emerging trends in atmospheric pollution
• Shutting down the observatory, along with other climate labs, could undermine global efforts to address climate change by reducing access to critical data that informs policy and action
⏭️ What's next: The proposed budget cuts will require congressional approval, and their potential impact on climate research could be significant
• Efforts to maintain the Mauna Loa observatory’s data collection may involve securing alternative funding or relocating instruments, but this could disrupt the continuity of climate data
• The outcome will likely influence how climate science is prioritized in future U.S. governmental policies, particularly under different administrations
💬 One quote: "The Keeling Curve is one of the most iconic charts in modern science, documenting how human activities have directly influenced the planet's warming." – Ralph Keeling, Professor, Scripps Institution of Oceanography
📈 One stat: Since 1958, CO2 levels at Mauna Loa have risen from 313 ppm to over 430 ppm in 2024, marking a significant increase tied to human activities
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