{"id":72,"date":"2021-10-25T10:24:35","date_gmt":"2021-10-25T09:24:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/econyq.com\/news\/?p=72"},"modified":"2021-10-25T10:24:35","modified_gmt":"2021-10-25T09:24:35","slug":"levels-of-climate-warming-greenhouse-gases-in-atmosphere-reach-record-highs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/dev-econyq.com\/news\/levels-of-climate-warming-greenhouse-gases-in-atmosphere-reach-record-highs\/","title":{"rendered":"Levels of climate-warming greenhouse gases in atmosphere reach record highs"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Levels of planet-warming greenhouse gases in the atmosphere reached record highs again last year, UN scientists have warned ahead of key climate talks.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Concentrations of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere rose at a faster rate in 2020 than over the previous decade, and the trend has continued in 2021, the UN\u2019s\u00a0World Meteorological Organisation<\/a>\u00a0(WMO) said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The economic slowdown caused by the Covid-19 pandemic did not have any discernible impact on atmospheric levels of greenhouse gases and the rate they are building up \u2013 although there was a temporary decline in new emissions, the WMO said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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If greenhouse gas concentrations continue to increase at current rates, the world will see temperature rises far above globally agreed long-term targets to limit warming to 1.5C to 2C to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.<\/p>\n

Greenhouse gases are emitted by human activities such as burning fossil fuels for power, heating and transport, farming and deforestation, and they build up in the atmosphere where higher concentrations of the gases trap more heat, causing rising temperatures, extreme weather and rising seas.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The last time the\u00a0Earth<\/a>\u00a0had similar concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere was three to five million years ago when the temperature was 2C-3C warmer than now, and sea levels were 10-20 metres higher \u2013 but there weren\u2019t 7.8 billion people living\u00a0on the planet then, he warned.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Prof\u00a0Taalas said: \u201cMany countries are now setting carbon neutral targets and it is hoped that Cop26 will see a dramatic increase in commitments.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cWe need to transform our commitment into action that will have an impact on the gases that drive climate change.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cWe need to revisit our industrial, energy and transport systems and whole way of life.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cThe needed changes are economically affordable and technically possible. There is no time to lose.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The latest annual greenhouse gas bulletin from the WMO shows that levels of carbon dioxide \u2013 the most important greenhouse gas \u2013 in the atmosphere reached 413 parts per million in 2020, 49% above what it was in 1750, before human activity started affecting natural systems.<\/p>\n

Concentrations of other key greenhouse gases methane and nitrous oxide also hit record highs in 2020, as they increased at faster rates than in the past 10 years.<\/p>\n

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Roughly half the carbon dioxide emitted by human activities remains in the atmosphere, while the other half is absorbed by oceans and land habitats such as forests.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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