Hitting another Major Carbon Milestone
In 2015, the planet marked all time high CO2 level surpassing 400 parts per million. The observed CO2 concentration increase from 2014 to 2015 denotes the greatest increase over the past ten years. The recent WMO (World Meteorological Organization) annual Greenhouse Gas Bulletin report stated that CO2 concentration last year jumped to 144 percent higher than pre - industrial levels. Methane, and Nitrous Oxide and other emissions, increased to 256 percent that is 121 percent increase from pre-industrial levels.
The scientist explained that the increased of CO2 was tank up by the multiple El Niño events happened last year, this is because the drought causes the ability of forests vegetation, and oceans to absorb CO2 which experts called "sinks." These sinks absorb almost half of carbon dioxide emissions; however, sinks can potentially be saturated and could cause an increase in CO2 emission. On the said report, the unrelenting human activities such as growing population, intensified agricultural practices, growth in land use, deforestation, industrialization, and any associated to energy consumption, bulk up the increase of CO2 concentration. WMO Secretary - General Petteri Taalas said in the report "The El Niño event has disappeared. Climate change has not."
Lowering CO2 emission is very crucial in keeping global temperatures from exceeding the 2 degrees Celsius threshold which experts called "the point of no return." This year, CO2 concentration has remained above 400 ppm for the entire month of September. Scientist Ralph Keeling from Scripps Institution of Oceanography stated that "It already seems safe to conclude that we won't be seeing a monthly value below 400 ppm this year" following the recent result from the September findings.
The year 2015 was full of optimism in providing resolution for climate change back up with the Paris Climate Change Agreement. Next month, world leaders will meet in Marrakech, Morocco for the United Nations climate change negotiations.
