In 2018, atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases reached a record high, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
The rise in greenhouse gas levels last year were all above average, sparking a concern that despite efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions around the world, it is having little impact and the climate emergency shows no sign of settling down.
As is widely know, greenhouse gases sit in the atmosphere and cause the 'greenhouse effect', essentially trapping heat in the atmosphere and gradually warming the planet. This warming can have devastating effects on our ecosystems and water levels. Gases such as carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide contribute to this in significant ways; and humans happen to emit a lot of these gases in various ways, but mainly through industry, energy production and transport.
Some of these gases are removed from the atmosphere through natural cycles in trees and in water. What remains in the atmosphere following this process are known as concentrations, and it is this level that the WMO has been monitoring through various stations across the world.
Carbon dioxide concentrations was recorded at 407.8 parts per million (ppm), which was an increase from 405.5 ppm recorded in 2017. Levels of methane were also increased, around 60% of which is produced by human activity. Overall:
It is estimated that emissions of such gases must fall by half if we are to keep the global temperature rise below 1.5 degrees C. However, the Secretary-General of the WMO, Petteri Taalas, said, “there is no sign of a slowdown, let alone a decline, despite all the commitments under the Paris agreement on climate change. We need to increase the level of ambition for the sake of the future welfare of mankind".
“It is worth recalling that the last time the Earth experienced a comparable concentration of carbon dioxide was 3-5m years ago. Back then, the temperature was 2-3C warmer and sea level was 10-20 metres higher than now”.
It is clear more has to be done, and we can no longer ignore the issue. Greenhouse gases can stay in the atmosphere for several years before disappearing, meaning we can no longer afford to keep topping up the concentration levels. It is a global issue that requires a global response, especially from the world's most technologically advanced countries which are the biggest emitters of greenhouse gases.
