Atmosphere

Changes to the atmosphere and to the climate are interrelated and understanding what effects such changes have is a complicated matter. Wildfires are increasingly commonplace and many of their effects are obvious. Air quality in places hundreds or even thousands of miles from wildfires can become degraded and even hazardous to human health. Ecosystems are disrupted by killing wildlife and destroying habitats. A new study by Harvard University looked at the effects of wildfires on the upper atmosphere.

The average level of carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere had its largest one-year increase on record between 2023 and 2024. In 2024, the level reached 423.9 parts per million, an increase of 3.5 parts per million over the year before. The previous record jump was 3.3 parts per million in 2016. Modern measurements of carbon dioxide levels began in 1957.