NEW DELHI: In yet another ominous climate change warning, the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) on Wednesday said that the atmospheric levels of the three main greenhouse gases (GHG) – carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide – reached new record highs in 2021. It means the earth will continue to warm due to these heat-trapping gases.
“The increase in carbon dioxide levels from 2020 to 2021 was larger than the average annual growth rate over the last decade. Measurements from WMO’s Global Atmosphere Watch network stations show that these levels continue to rise in 2022 over the whole globe,” said the WMO, referring to its latest GHG Bulletin.
The Bulletin reported the biggest year-on-year jump in methane concentrations in 2021 since systematic measurements began nearly 40 years ago. “The reason for this exceptional increase is not clear, but seems to be a result of both biological and human-induced processes,” said the global Met body.
It noted that the warming effect on climate (known as radiative forcing) by long-lived GHG rose by nearly 50% between 1990 and 2021, with carbon dioxide accounting for about 80% of this increase.
“WMO’s Greenhouse Gas Bulletin has underlined, once again, the enormous challenge – and the vital necessity – of urgent action to cut greenhouse gas emissions and prevent global temperatures rising even further in the future,” said WMO secretary-general Petteri Taalas.
The Bulletin shows that the carbon dioxide concentrations in 2021 were 415.7 parts per million (ppm), methane at 1908 parts per billion (ppb) and nitrous oxide at 334.5 ppb. These values constitute, respectively, 149%, 262% and 124% of pre-industrial levels (1850-1900) before human activities started disrupting natural equilibrium of these gases in the atmosphere.
“The continuing rise in concentrations of the main heat-trapping gases, including the record acceleration in methane levels, shows that we are heading in the wrong direction,” said Taalas.
“The increase in carbon dioxide levels from 2020 to 2021 was larger than the average annual growth rate over the last decade. Measurements from WMO’s Global Atmosphere Watch network stations show that these levels continue to rise in 2022 over the whole globe,” said the WMO, referring to its latest GHG Bulletin.
The Bulletin reported the biggest year-on-year jump in methane concentrations in 2021 since systematic measurements began nearly 40 years ago. “The reason for this exceptional increase is not clear, but seems to be a result of both biological and human-induced processes,” said the global Met body.
It noted that the warming effect on climate (known as radiative forcing) by long-lived GHG rose by nearly 50% between 1990 and 2021, with carbon dioxide accounting for about 80% of this increase.
“WMO’s Greenhouse Gas Bulletin has underlined, once again, the enormous challenge – and the vital necessity – of urgent action to cut greenhouse gas emissions and prevent global temperatures rising even further in the future,” said WMO secretary-general Petteri Taalas.
The Bulletin shows that the carbon dioxide concentrations in 2021 were 415.7 parts per million (ppm), methane at 1908 parts per billion (ppb) and nitrous oxide at 334.5 ppb. These values constitute, respectively, 149%, 262% and 124% of pre-industrial levels (1850-1900) before human activities started disrupting natural equilibrium of these gases in the atmosphere.
“The continuing rise in concentrations of the main heat-trapping gases, including the record acceleration in methane levels, shows that we are heading in the wrong direction,” said Taalas.