Greenhouse gas concentrations reach record levels
The concentration of climate-damaging greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is climbing from record to record. The most important of these, carbon dioxide (CO2), reached a striking mark last year: the concentration was 50 percent above the pre-industrial level, reported the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in Geneva. The increase has continued this year. The greenhouse gases methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) also reached record levels last year.
"Despite decades of warnings from the scientific community, despite thousands of pages of reports and dozens of climate conferences, we are still moving in the wrong direction," said WMO chief Petteri Taalas in a statement.
The last time CO2 concentrations were as high as they are now was three to five million years ago, writes the UN weather organization. At that time, the average temperature was two to three degrees higher and sea levels were ten to 20 meters higher. According to the WMO, the CO2 concentration in the atmosphere last year was 417.9 ppm (parts per million - particles of CO2 per million particles), an increase of 2.2 ppm compared to the previous year.
According to the WMO, the rise in CO2 levels flattened out somewhat last year compared to 2021 and the ten-year average. However, this is probably due to natural fluctuations. New emissions from industrial man-made activities continued to rise. And because CO2 has a long lifespan, the temperature rise that has already occurred will continue for decades to come - even if emissions are quickly reduced to zero.
"The current level of greenhouse gases is putting us on a path that will result in a temperature rise well above the Paris Climate Agreement target by the end of the century," said WMO chief Petteri Taalas. "This means more extreme weather such as intense heat, rainfall and ice melt." In the oceans, this would lead to rising water levels, higher temperatures and increased acidification. "There is an urgent need to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels."
Source: www.dpa.com
