The concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere rose rapidly again last year. For the first time, the amount of carbon dioxide in the air has increased by 1.5 times what it was before the industrial era.
The last time carbon dioxide concentrations were this high was millions of years ago. At that time, the Earth was 2 to 3 degrees warmer on average. The United Nations meteorological agency said in a report published on Wednesday that sea levels were between 10 and 20 meters higher.
Last year, carbon dioxide concentration rose slightly less quickly than the previous year, and than the average over the past 10 years. But this is mainly due to natural changes, such as the absorption of carbon dioxide by the oceans, the World Meteorological Organization suspects. CO2 emissions remain as high as ever.
The increase in the amount of methane in the air was slightly less strong than in the record year 2021, but still much higher than in previous years. This is concerning, because methane is an extremely potent greenhouse gas. After carbon dioxide, it is the most important cause of global warming.
Ontvang meldingen bij nieuws
‘More extreme heat and rain’
“Despite decades of warnings by scientists, thousands of pages of reports and dozens of climate conferences, we are still moving in the wrong direction,” said Petteri Taalas, Finnish president of the World Meteorological Organization.
He points out that the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is still rising too quickly to meet the climate goals of the Paris Agreement. “This will be accompanied by more extreme weather, including extreme heat, rain, melting ice, sea level rise, and ocean acidification and warming. The social, economic and environmental costs will rise dramatically. We must urgently reduce the use of fossil fuels.”
The WMO report is being published in the lead-up to the climate summit starting in Dubai on 30 November. There, countries will once again try to agree to accelerate the climate approach. Discussions will also continue this year on creating a fund to compensate for climate damage in the most vulnerable countries.
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