The increase in the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere last year was the highest ever recorded, the United Nations said recently, calling for urgent action to slash emissions. Levels of the three main greenhouse gases – the climate-warming CO2, methane and nitrous oxide — all increased yet again in 2024, with each setting new record highs, the UN’s weather and climate agency said.
The World Meteorological Organization said the increase in CO2 levels in the atmosphere from 2023 to 2024 marked the biggest oneyear jump since records began in 1957.
The report, which comes ahead of the November 10-21 COP30 UN climate summit in Belem, Brazil, focused exclusively on concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
A separate UN report, out next month, will detail shifts in emissions of the gases, but those numbers are also expected to rise, as they have every year with the world continuing to burn more oil, gas and coal.
This defies commitments made under the 2015 Paris Agreement to cap global warming at ‘well below’ 2C above average levels measured between 1850 and 1900 — and 1.5C if possible.