GreenHouse Gas Bulletin

Context

The World Meteorological Organization’s (WMO) 2023 Greenhouse Gas Bulletin revealed that global greenhouse gas concentrations reached an unprecedented high, underscoring the intensifying risk of climate change.

Key Highlights of 2023 Report

• CO₂ Levels: Carbon dioxide (CO₂) reached an annual mean of 420 parts per million (ppm) in 2023, an increase of 2.3 ppm from 2022. This marks the 12th consecutive year with a rise above 2 ppm.
• Historical Context: The current CO₂ concentration is unprecedented in recent geological history, mirroring levels seen 3-5 million years ago when Earth’s temperature was 2-3°C higher and sea levels were up to 20 metres higher.
• Radiative Forcing: Since 1990, the warming effect due to GHGs (radiative forcing) has increased by 51.5%, with CO₂ contributing about 81% of this increase.
• Factors Driving GHG Increase:
  • Human and Industrial Emissions: High emissions from fossil fuel use.
  • Natural Climate Events: El Niño exacerbated warming in 2023
  • Forest Fires: Drier vegetation and increased wildfires during El Niño years further heightened emissions.

About GreenHouse Gas Bulletin

• It is an annual publication by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) that provides a comprehensive analysis of the concentration of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere.
• The bulletin primarily focuses on three major greenhouse gases
  • Carbon Dioxide (CO₂): The most significant greenhouse gas, responsible for about 64% of the warming effect on the climate.
  • Methane (CH₄): It is the 2nd most abundant anthropogenic GHG after carbon dioxide (CO₂), accounting for about 16 percent of global emissions. Methane is more than 28 times as potent as carbon dioxide at trapping heat in the atmosphere.
  • Nitrous Oxide (N₂O): It is a long-lived, potent greenhouse gas that has been accumulating in the atmosphere since the pre-industrial era. It arises from agricultural and industrial activities.
  • It compares the current levels of CO2, CH4, and N2O with the previous year and pre-industrial levels.
• The bulletin is based on data from the WMO Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW) Programme, which is a worldwide network of observation stations and scientific infrastructure.

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