Does increased atmospheric CO2 cause warming?
For over 60 years we have reliable records of levels of atmospheric CO2 and temperature.
We also have estimates of temperature and atmospheric CO2 obtained using ice core measurement methods. These enable us to analyse the relationship from earlier times.
What do those records tell us about the relationship between atmospheric CO2 and temperature?
They tell us that there is strong correlation between atmospheric CO2 and Temperature from 1880 onwards.
Why only look at CO2 and temperature from the second half of the 19th century? See this page.
Global average temperature vs CO2 1959-2023
Annual average global temperature anomaly values were obtained from Our World in Data.
Atmospheric CO2 values were obtained from NASA.
Plotting these produces the chart shown.
The coefficient of correlation over the period 1959-2023 is over 96%.
That is strong correlation.
Global average temperature vs CO2 1880-2023 (using ice core data)
Annual average global temperature anomaly values were obtained from Our World in Data.
CO2 values were obtained from NASA.
Plotting these produces the chart shown.
The coefficient of correlation over the period 1880-2023 is over 95%.
That is also strong correlation.