Greenhouse Gases Hit Record High In 2022: UN

Relevance: GS3 - Environmental pollution and degradation

(Source: The Hindu, 11/16/2023)

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Why in the news?

• Recently, the 19th Greenhouse Gas Bulletin published by the World Meteorological Organization revealed that the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere had risen to record levels and projected it to continue rising.

What are the findings of the Greenhouse Gas Bulletin 2023?

• Rise in greenhouse gases: The concentration of greenhouse gases (GHG) in the atmosphere hit record highs in 2022.
  • The levels of the three main greenhouse gases - carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide - rose beyond record levels in 2022.
• Impact: The rise in the concentration of heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere has led to a rise in temperatures.
  • The global mean temperature in 2022 was 1.15C above the 1850-1900 average and 2023 is projected to be the warmest year on record.
  • This could lead to extreme weather events such as intense heat and rainfall, ice melt, sea level rise, and ocean heat and acidification.
  • This is projected to result in a rise in socioeconomic and environmental costs.

• Compliance with the Paris Agreement: As part of the Paris Agreement (2015), countries committed to cap global warming at "well below" 2C above the average levels measured between 1850 and 1900, and if possible 1.5C.

• However, the current level of greenhouse gas concentrations indicates that temperature levels will significantly exceed the Paris targets by the end of the century

• Fossil fuel consumption: The Bulletin noted that fossil fuel consumption should be reduced on an urgent basis.
• Effect of wars: The WMO has warned that the ongoing wars in Gaza and Ukraine have deflected global attention from the primary challenge of climate change.
  • Some experts have claimed that the funds and attention on climate change mitigation and adaptation could be diverted to funding war efforts.

Concentration of greenhouse gases in 2022

• Carbon dioxide, Methane, and Nitrous oxide account for 150%, 264%, and 124% of the pre-industrial levels (prior to 1750) respectively.

• CO2: 418 parts per million
  • According to the WMO, the global average concentrations of CO2 in 2022 were 50% higher than those of the pre-industrial era and are predicted to grow in 2023.
  • This means that the temperature levels will persist for decades even if emissions are reduced to net zero since CO2 has a long life.
• Methane: 1,923 parts per billion
  • There is a lack of understanding of the growth of methane concentrations in the atmosphere.
• Nitrous oxide: 336 parts per billion.
  • As a result of the increase in greenhouse gas concentrations, the levels of nitrous oxide in the atmosphere have exceeded record levels.

Warming effect of the GHGs

• Carbon dioxide accounts for around 64% of the warming effect on the climate.
• ​Atmospheric methane, which accounts for around 16% of the warming effect, is the second largest contributor to climate change.
  • Although methane remains in the atmosphere for only 10 years, it has a greater warming impact when compared to CO2.
• Nitrous oxide is responsible for 7% of the warming effect.

What are the other impacts of increasing greenhouse gas concentration?

• Global Warming: This is the gradual rise in the average temperature of the Earth's atmosphere.
  • The main cause of global warming is the increased production of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane from the combustion of fossil fuels, as well as emissions from vehicles, industries, and other human activities.
  • Ozone Layer Depletion: The ozone layer protects the Earth from the sun's harmful ultraviolet rays. It can be found in the stratosphere's upper reaches.The depletion of the ozone layer allows harmful UV rays to enter the earth's surface, which can cause skin cancer and drastically alter the climate.
  • The accumulation of natural greenhouse gases such as chlorofluorocarbons, carbon dioxide, methane, and others is the primary cause of this phenomenon.
• Smog and Air Pollution: Smog is created when smoke and fog combine. It can be caused by both natural and man-made factors.

• Smog is caused by the accumulation of more greenhouse gases, such as nitrogen and sulfur oxides.
• Automobile and industrial emissions, agricultural fires, natural forest fires, and chemical reactions are the major contributors to smog formation.

• Acidification of Water Bodies: As the total amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere has increased, most of the world's water bodies have become acidic.
  • Furthermore, rainwater carries contaminants with it and deposits them in rivers, streams, and lakes, causing acidification.
  • The greenhouse gases combine with rainwater to form acid rain. This causes water bodies to become acidic.
• Climate polycrisis: The climate ‘polycrisis’ refers to the interconnected and compounding crises related to climate change.
  • Anthropogenic activities such as fossil fuel burning, deforestation, and agricultural and industrial processes, have led to the release of GHGs which cause global warming.
  • This has led to physical concerns like rising temperatures and extreme weather events as well as social, economic, and political challenges.

• Increased occurrence of natural disasters: As a result of the greenhouse effect coastal cities could be flooded, while currently fertile areas could become deserts, thereby affecting the survival of species and habitats.
  • It could also lead to faster melting of glacial masses and the proliferation of devastating hurricanes which pose significant risks to the environment, species, and humans.

Important Conventions related to GHGs

Way Forward

• The Bulletin has recommended that greater research and investigation is necessary in areas on which information is uncertain such as the carbon cycle, which includes the fluxes in the ocean, the land biosphere, and the permafrost areas.

Areas of research

• Feedback loops in the climate system: Climate change induced increase in carbon emissions from soils or the decreased carbon uptake by oceans.
• Tipping points: A certain level of change could lead to a self-accelerating and potentially irreversible cascade of changes.
• Amazon rainforest: The WMO has also expressed concern about the Amazon rainforest which was earlier a large carbon sink becoming a source of carbon emissions due to rampant deforestation.
• Non-CO2 gases: The WMO acknowledged that there was a lack of sufficient information on the effects of non-CO2 greenhouse gases.
  • These include gases such as methane, nitrous oxide, and fluorinated gases which could trap more heat within the atmosphere than CO2.

Conclusion

• The alarming rise in greenhouse gas concentrations highlighted in the 2023 Greenhouse Gas Bulletin poses a severe threat to global environmental stability.
• Urgent measures, including a substantial reduction in fossil fuel consumption and enhanced research on uncertain aspects, are imperative to avert the projected catastrophic impacts, ensuring a sustainable future.

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