Heat-trapping carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere spiked significantly last year, reaching a historical high not witnessed in human history, intensifying the Earth’s climate and leading to more severe weather patterns, according to the United Nations weather agency’s latest report. The World Meteorological Organization disclosed in its recent bulletin on greenhouse gases that carbon dioxide growth rates have tripled since the 1960s, surging to levels unprecedented in at least 800,000 years.
Emissions from the combustion of coal, oil, and gas, in addition to increased wildfires, have contributed to intensifying a detrimental climate cycle. The continuous release of heat-trapping gases by humans and industries, coupled with the diminishing capacity of the planet’s oceans and forests to absorb them, as highlighted in the WMO report.
The Geneva-based agency reported that the global average concentration of carbon dioxide rose significantly from 2023 to 2024, marking the highest annual level recorded since 1957 when measurements began. The growth rates of CO2 have accelerated from an average annual increase of 2.4 parts per million per year between 2011 and 2020 to 3.5 ppm from 2023 to 2024, as per the WMO.
Ko Barrett, WMO deputy secretary-general, emphasized that the heat trapped by carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases is amplifying the climate, leading to more extreme weather phenomena. He stressed the crucial need to reduce emissions not only for climate preservation but also for economic stability and community welfare.
Bill Hare, CEO of Climate Analytics, expressed concern over the alarming data, noting a worrying increase in CO2 levels despite relatively stable fossil fuel emissions last year. He warned of a potential climate catastrophe, attributing the escalation in CO2 levels to burning forests and warming oceans driven by record global temperatures.
The report’s findings underscore the urgency for policymakers to take decisive action to curb emissions. While some governments advocate for increased reliance on hydrocarbons for energy production, several businesses and local authorities are actively engaged in combatting climate change. However, Hare criticized the lack of substantial climate commitments by most countries to address the severity of the climate crisis.
The surge in carbon dioxide levels in 2024 sets the stage for sustained temperature rises in the long term, as noted by the WMO. Additionally, concentrations of methane and nitrous oxide, other greenhouse gases stemming from human activities, have also reached unprecedented levels.
The report’s revelations cast doubt on the world’s ability to meet the Paris climate accord’s target of limiting the global average temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. United Nations climate chief Simon Stiell has cautioned that the Earth is currently on track for a 3-degree rise.
Moreover, data from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration indicate that carbon dioxide levels continue to rise at an alarming rate, although slightly lower than the surge observed between 2023 and 2024. Monitoring data from Hawaii for 2025 through August reveals a continued increase in CO2 rates, albeit at a slower pace compared to the previous period.
