The levels of the three main greenhouse gases – climate warming CO2, methane, and nitrous oxide – all increased yet again in 2024, with each setting new highs, the World Meteorological Organization said as it called for urgent action to slash emissions.
The United Nation’s weather and climate agency said the increase in CO2 levels in the atmosphere from 2023 to 2024 marked the biggest one-year jump since records began in 1957.
A separate UN report, expected 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 below 1.5C if possible.
The WMO voiced significant concern that land and oceans were becoming unable to soak up CO2, leaving the powerful greenhouse gas in the atmosphere.
“The heat trapped by CO2 and other greenhouse gases is turbo-charging our climate and leading to more extreme weather,” said WMO Deputy Secretary General Ko Barrett. “Reducing emissions is therefore essential not just for our climate but also for our economic security and community well-being.”
Last year was also the warmest year ever recorded, beating the previous high in 2023, the WMO recalled.
“The levels of the three most abundant long lived greenhouse gases – carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide – reached new records in 2024,” the WMO said in its 21st annual Greenhouse Gas Bulletin.
With greenhouse gas emissions still rising, it is going to be more of a challenge for countries like the Philippines that are among the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. As countries like the USA abandon their leadership role in the global effort to combat climate change, we can either find someone to step up or take on that difficult role ourselves, or brace our country for the worst case scenario and hope that our adaptation measures are enough and sustainable.*
