Data from the Mauna Loa Observatory on the Big Island shows “concerning news” about the state of the Earth’s environment, according to KITV and other media reports.

Carbon dioxide levels are the highest seen in all of human existence.

Scientists say the high levels are due in part to the burning of fossil fuels and cutting down of forests by humans.

“So why is so much carbon dioxide in the atmosphere a bad thing? Experts say it prevents Earth’s natural cooling cycle from working — meaning heat is trapped near the surface, causing global temperatures to rise.”

USA Today reports, “The recent temperature rise cannot be explained by natural factors, scientists report. In the past 20 years, the world’s temperature has risen about two-thirds of a degree Fahrenheit, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said.”