January 2017 (+3.61) was the worst ever recorded for increases in carbon dioxide concentrations.
The fact that 2016 proved to be "only" the second worst year ever recorded for carbon dioxide increases, at 2.99 ppm over 2015, which in turn was the worst ever, at 3.03 ppm over 2014 is something of an artifact of the December 2016 reading, was "only" the third worst December in recorded history, at +2.63 ppm.
December 2016 was one of only two months in which the increase over the same month of the previous year was below 3.00 ppm. Two months recorded readings above 4.00 ppm. Six months set records for their month in 2016, three were the second worst.
Although January of 2016 was only the fourth worst, January 2017, last month is the absolute worst at 3.61 ppm. The previous worst was 2.94 ppm, in 1998, when the fires set in Malaysia and Indonesia to clear rain forest to make palm oil plantations for biodiesel went out of control.
The list for the months of 2016 other than December above is as follows.
January 2016 (2.56 ppm) was the 4th worst January in recorded history.
February 2016 (3.75) was the worst February in recorded history.
March 2016 (3.31 ppm) was the worst March in recorded history.
April 2016 (4.16 ppm) was the worst April in recorded history - and, in fact, the worst month of any month in history.
May 2016 (3.76 ppm) was the worst May in recorded history - and, in fact, the third worst month of any month in history.
June 2016 (4.01 ppm) was the worst June in recorded history - and, in fact, the second worst month of any month in history.
July 2016 (3.09 ppm) was the third worst July in recorded history.
August 2016 (3.09 ppm) was the second worst August in recorded history.
September 2016 (3.39 ppm) was the second worst September in recorded history.
October 2016 (3.28 ppm) was the second worst October in recorded history.
November 2016 (3.37 ppm) was the worst November in recorded history.
Don't worry be happy. February 2017 may come in - if the weekly trends hold as "only" the 4th or 5th worst in recorded history. It's always nice to go from apocalyptic to mere disastrous.
Whatever we think it is we're doing to fight climate change is failing spectacularly.
Have a nice Sunday.