Global carbon dioxide levels hit a new record, says UN
Carbon dioxide levels have risen 46% since around 1750, with half of the increase coming within the past 30 years
Geneva — The amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere hit a new record last year with emissions showing no sign of slowing down, the UN World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) said on Thursday. The annual Greenhouse Gas Bulletin dashed hopes for a slowdown in emissions of carbon dioxide — the byproduct of burning fossil fuels that scientists say is the main cause of the greenhouse effect causing global warming and climate change. “The science is clear. Without rapid cuts in carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, climate change will have increasingly destructive and irreversible impacts on life on Earth. The window of opportunity for action is almost closed,” WMO secretary-general Petteri Taalas said in a statement. The report found carbon dioxide levels of 405.5 parts per million (ppm) in 2017, up from 403.3 in 2016. The rate of increase is in line with the average growth rate over the last decade, which was the fastest rate for 55-million years, the WMO said. Carbon dioxide l...
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