Basalt weathering is one of many relevant processes balancing the global carbon cycle via land-ocean alkalinity fluxes. The CO<sub>2</sub> consumption by weathering can be calculated using alkalinity and is often scaled with runoff and/or temperature. Here it is tested if information on the surface age distribution of a volcanic system is a useful proxy for changes in alkalinity production with time. <br><br> A linear relationship between temperature normalized alkalinity fluxes and the Holocene area fraction of a volcanic field was identified, using information from 33 basalt volcanic fields, with an r<sup>2</sup> = 0.91. This relationship is interpreted as an aging function and suggests that fluxes from Holocene areas are ~ 10 times higher than those from old inactive volcanic fields. However, the cause for the decrease with time is probably a combination of effects, including a decrease in alkalinity production from surface near material in the critical zone as well as a decline in hydrothermal activity and magmatic CO<sub>2</sub> contribution. <br><br> A comparison with global models suggests, that global alkalinity fluxes considering Holocene active basalt areas are ~ 70 % higher than the average from these models imply. The contribution of Holocene areas to the global basalt alkalinity fluxes is however only ~ 6 %, because identified, mapped Holocene basalt areas cover only ~ 1 % of the existing basalt areas. The large trap basalt proportion on the global basalt areas today reduces the relevance of the aging effect. However, the aging effect might be a relevant process during periods of globally, intensive volcanic activity, which remains to be tested.