00:00Planet warming emissions hit a record high last year despite attempts to cut down on fossil fuels.
00:07The World Meteorological Organization says levels of the three main greenhouse gases,
00:13carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide, all rose in 2024.
00:18CO2 levels in the atmosphere saw the biggest one-year jump since the records began back in 1957.
00:25Fossil fuel emissions, wildfires and a reduction in the ability of our oceans to absorb these gases have all driven the increase, boosting calls for urgent action.
00:36Oksana Tarasova is from the World Meteorological Organization which issued this annual data.
00:42Oksana, welcome back, good to see you.
00:44So this report showing the largest annual increase in CO2 since measurements started being taken back in the 1950s.
00:51What makes this increase particularly alarming?
00:58If we look at the increase in CO2 concentration in 2024, the first thing which makes it alarming is that we've never seen anything like that.
01:07If we look at the whole history of observations, we had pretty large increases in the years of Ennio, for example, 2015-2016.
01:18But 3.5 parts per million has never been seen since we started the direct observational measurements.
01:26Now, there's a particularly sobering part of your report that says that CO2 affects our climate for many centuries.
01:33Why does CO2 have such a long-lasting impact compared to all of the other greenhouse gases that you've written about?
01:43If we compare the difference between CO2 and all other greenhouse gases, in particular methane and neutral oxide, which we also reflect on the bulletin, the issue is with what we call atmospheric lifetime, which means how long the gas can stay in the atmosphere after it has been emitted.
02:06And for CO2, this lifetime is over 1,000 years, which means that all the molecules which were emitted by the people who started the fossil fuel engines in 1800, they are still flying in the atmosphere.
02:25So CO2 actually builds up, so the concentration accumulates, so every single addition we put, it stays in the atmosphere, and the impact of CO2 on climate is proportional to the number of the molecules you have.
02:40The more molecules you have, the more they are keeping the warmth in the atmosphere.
02:46So back on Earth, what does that mean? I mean, what are the implications of this sustained growth for global temperature trends and climate stability?
02:55If we look at the trend in CO2, are these concentrations, which we have now, it's the highest, which we've seen, not just in the history of observation, we can actually go back with indirect and direct methods, and last time we've seen such concentration was 3 to 5 million years ago.
03:19And at that time, the temperature, the equilibrium climate temperature on the planet was 2 to 3 degrees higher, and the sea level was 10 to 20 meters, 10 to 20 meters higher than we have now.
03:34Which means, which means if you put it in a projection, that for the current level, this is what you can reach in the equilibrium state of climate.
03:43And now think about all the cities which are situated on the coastal zones, or look at the frequency and intensity of extreme events, extended droughts, or the increased intensity of the biomass burning,
03:58which is also one of the factors which impacts the capacity of the planet to absorb what we need.
04:05So that all goes in a very, very wrong direction.
04:09Oksana, we could go on for ages. It's fascinating stuff and sobering stuff.
04:13But thank you so much once again for coming back on the program.
04:16Oksana Tarasova from the World Meteorological Organization.
04:19Oksana Tarasova
04:21Oksana Tarasova
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