"Levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere soared by a record amount in 2024 to hit another high, UN data shows, deepening the climate crisis that is already taking lives and livelihoods across the world. Scientists are worried that the natural land and ocean sinks that remove CO2 from the air are weakening as a result of global heating, which could form a vicious circle and drive temperatures up even faster."
"The global average concentration of the gas surged by 3.5 parts per million to 424ppm in 2024, the largest increase since modern measurements started in 1957, according to the report by the World Meteorological Organization. Several factors contributed to the leap in CO2, including another year of unrelenting fossil fuel burning despite a pledge by the world's countries in 2023 to transition away from coal, oil and gas."
Global atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations jumped to a record 424 ppm in 2024, a 3.5 ppm annual increase and the largest since 1957. Persistent fossil fuel burning, extreme wildfires driven by hotter, drier conditions, and signs of weakening land and ocean carbon sinks all contributed to the rise. Oceans absorbing less CO2 because of warming and reduced plant growth and increased fires on land are reducing sink effectiveness. About half of yearly CO2 emissions are normally removed by oceans and vegetation, but El Niño effects and roughly 1.3°C of human-caused warming have coincided with unprecedented sink failures in 2023–2024.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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