Greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere reach a record high last year , despite theeconomic slowdownfrom the COVID-19 pandemic . Despite all the memes , it looks likeEarth was n’t healingafter all .
The findings come from the latestGreenhouse Gas Bulletinby the UN ’s World Meteorological Organization ( WMO ) . They show that the absorption of C dioxide attain 413.2 parts per million in 2020 , making stage 149 per centum above those take in in the pre - industrial era . The denseness of methane is 262 percent above levels get word in the 18th century , while nitric oxide is 123 pct higher .
Although the COVID-19 lockdowns did see somenotable short - term dipin greenhouse gas emission , it was not enough to contradict the foresighted - terminus trend . In fact , on the contrary , all of the rising slope of glasshouse gases in the atmosphere see to it in 2020 were above the average one-year rate of increment seen between 2011 - 2020 , meaning the rate of emissions actually ramped up overall .
Greenhouse gases trapped in the atmosphere warm the Earth by absorbing DOE and slow down the rate at which the energy break away to space . The modish bulletin show the warming upshot of long - lived greenhouse gas on our climate increased by 47 per centum between 1990 to 2020 , with atomic number 6 dioxide accounting for about 80 per centum of the rise .
The electrocution of fossil fuels is the biggest source of carbon dioxide , which causes the majority of global heat . Carbon dioxide also flow around in the atm for a comparatively long clock time . While important amount are accept up by oceans and body politic ecosystem , carbon dioxide presently in the atmosphere will continue to stay for decade to come in , even if greenhouse flatulence emissions are drastically slashed today .
By coincidence , the fresh bulletin comes just in prison term for the COP26 climate change group discussion set to sound off off this Sunday in Glasgow . Professor Petteri Taalas , Secretary - General of the WMO , say the former findings show “ [ w]e are right smart off track ” when it come to conquering the climate crisis .
“ The Greenhouse Gas Bulletin contain a stark , scientific message for clime variety negotiators at COP26 . At the current charge per unit of increment in greenhouse accelerator concentrations , we will see a temperature increase by the end of this C far in overabundance of the Paris Agreement target area of 1.5 to 2 degrees Celsius [ 34.7 to 35.6 ° F ] above pre - industrial storey , ” Professor Taalas sound out in astatement .
“ The amount of CO2 in the ambience breached the milestone of 400 parts per million in 2015 . And just five year later , it exceeded 413 ppm . This is more than just a chemical formula and figure on a graphical record . It has major disconfirming repercussions for our day-by-day lives and well - being , for the United States Department of State of our satellite and for the future of our small fry and grandchildren , ” added Professor Taalas .