NOAA data show the average monthly concentration keeps rising, with climate scientist Zachary Labe calling the latest peak depressing but unsurprising.
CO2 typically peaks in April as decaying plants release gases after winter before growing vegetation reabsorbs some during warmer months.
US emissions fell in 2023 and 2024 but rose again in 2025, partly due to AI data-centre power demand, even as solar and wind use expands.
Is AI's insatiable energy demand sabotaging our fight against climate change?
As AI drives up energy bills, who will ultimately pay the price for this tech revolution?
Is the carbon dioxide in our air now silently altering human blood chemistry?