Greenhouse Gases Have Soared to Record Levels

http://www.climatecentral.org/news/greenhouse-gases-have-soared-to-record-levels-wmo-16705

November 6th, 2013
By Andrew Freedman

The amount of planet-warming greenhouse gases in the atmosphere reached a record high in 2012, with rapid growth in both carbon dioxide and methane concentrations, according to a new report released Wednesday by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). The report provides new insights into the extent to which human activities, combined with natural processes, have reshaped the makeup of the atmosphere since the dawn of the industrial revolution.

As a result of all the extra CO2 pumped into the air, worldwide average temperatures have already risen by 1.6°F between 1901-2012 and are projected to increase by between 0.54°F to 8.64°F by 2081-2100 compared to 1986-2005 levels, depending on the future amounts of greenhouse gases in the air, according to a recent report from the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

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Compared to the preindustrial era, the global average atmospheric concentration of CO2 — the most important long-lived greenhouse gas — has increased by 41 percent, the report found. During the same time period, the concentration of methane in the atmosphere jumped by 160 percent and nitrous oxide, which is another greenhouse gas and a contributor to smog, rose by 20 percent. Methane is a more powerful warming agent than CO2, but only lasts in the atmosphere for a few decades, whereas CO2 molecules can linger in the air for many centuries to more than a thousand years.

The long lifespan of CO2 means that if emissions are not curtailed soon, major impacts of climate change, from extreme weather events to melting glaciers and rising seas, will be locked into the climate for centuries to come.

“We need to act now, otherwise we will jeopardize the future of our children, grandchildren, and many future generations,” Jarraud said. “Time is not on our side.”

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According to the recent IPCC report, CO2 is now at the highest level it has been in at least 800,000 years. That was a time when megatoothed sharks prowled the oceans, the world's seas were up to 100 feet higher than they are today and the global average surface temperature was up to 11°F warmer than it is now.

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According to the WMO report, which is its 9th annual report on greenhouse gases, about half of the CO2 emitted by human activities remains in the atmosphere. The oceans absorb much of the rest, but are becoming more acidic as a result, and more hostile to many marine species that depend on certain chemicals for making their shells, such as oysters and corals.

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