Greenhouse Gas Emission alarm: Scorching highlights from UN report ahead of COP26

The concentration of heat-trapping greenhouse gasses reached a new record last year, with an annual rate of increase overhauling the decade’s average. In a detailed report released on Monday, the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) highlighted that the economic slowdown from COVID-19 failed to have any discernible impact on the atmospheric levels of greenhouse gases and their growth. Notably, the Green House Gas Bulletin comes days before the much-awaited COP26 summit which focuses on scaling down global carbon emissions. 

Here is all that the WMO stated: 

• The Concentration of carbon dioxide touched 413.2 parts per million in 2020, which marks 49% of the pre-industrial level. 
• Meanwhile, methane (CH4) and Nitrous Oxide (N2O) rose to 262% and 123%, respectively. 
• Atmosphere, oceans and land ecosystems act as a sink for the greenhouse gasses. However, the report flagged concern that the efficiency of land and sea to absorb the gasses might be reduced in the near future.
• In the period between 1997 to 2020, radiative forcing (warming effect) has increased by 47% with CO2 accounting for 80% of it.
• With the current rise, the temperature increase at the end of this century would cross far beyond the target of 1 or 2 degrees set by the Paris Agreements.

'No Time to lose': WMO Chief

“Carbon dioxide remains in the atmosphere for centuries and in the ocean for even longer. The last time the Earth experienced a comparable concentration of CO2 was 3-5 million years ago, when the temperature was 2-3°C warmer and sea level was 10-20 meters higher than now. But there weren’t 7.8 billion people then,” said WMO Secretary-General Prof. Petteri Taalas. 

“Many countries are now setting carbon neutral targets and it is hoped that COP26 will see a dramatic increase in commitments. We need to transform our commitment into action that will have an impact of the gases that drive climate change. We need to revisit our industrial, energy and transport systems and whole way of life.  The needed changes are economically affordable and technically possible. There is no time to lose,” he added. 

Representative Image: Pixabay