Carbon dioxide, methane levels in atmosphere reached record high in 2021, says UN report

A new report by the United Nations World Meteorological Organization (WMO) says, the atmospheric levels of greenhouse gases including, carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide, which contribute to global warming, reached a record high in 2021. Last year’s levels were the biggest year-on-year jump in methane concentrations since they began measurements four decades ago, said the report.

“The continuing rise in concentrations of the main heat-trapping gases, including the record acceleration in methane levels, shows that we are heading in the wrong direction,” said WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas. While the reason for this unprecedented increase remains unclear, said the report,they believe it isacombination of both biological and human-induced processes.

Reportedly, the carbon dioxide levels also increased between 2020 and 2021 with a larger than the average annual growth rate seen over the past decade or so. The WMO also said how these levels are still increasing in 2022.

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The report also highlights how the “radiative forcing”, the warming effect on our climate, by long-lived greenhouse gases that are still in the atmosphere has increased by at least 50% last year and is fuelled by an increase in the carbon dioxide levels.

According to WMO, the carbon dioxide concentrations last year reached 415.7 parts per million (ppm), methane 1908 ppm, and nitrous oxide 334.5 ppm, which is 149%, 262% and 124% respectively, higher than pre-industrial levels. “More bad news for the planet”, said the WMO in a statement released with its annual Greenhouse Gas Bulletin.

Therefore, using the findings of this report, the WMO chief highlighted the importance of implementing “cost-effective strategies” to tackle methane emissions. However, he also said that while methane is more potent at trapping heat it stays in the atmosphere for less than 10 years and is largely reversible.

“As the most urgent priority, we have to slash carbon dioxide emissions, which are the main driver of climate change and associated extreme weather, and which will affect climate for thousands of years through polar ice loss, ocean warming and sea level rise,” said Taalas. The report elucidates that after the Covid-19 pandemic-induced lockdowns global carbon dioxide levels, rebounded primarily due to fossil fuel and cement production.

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While some research shows the methane increase could be due to “biogenic sources”, such as wetlands and rice paddies, the report suggests. The other possibility explored was “climate feedback” which is when the rise in temperatures leads to faster decomposition in tropical wetlands consequently leading to an increase in emissions.

“The needed changes are economically affordable and technically possible. Time is running out,” said the WMO chief reiterating his calls for action on climate change. These findings also come ahead of the UN Climate Conference COP27 in Egypt which the researchers hope will be included during negotiations.

(With inputs from agencies)

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