By Abbas Nazil
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has reported that carbon dioxide levels in Earth’s atmosphere reached unprecedented heights in 2024, signaling an alarming escalation in the global climate crisis.
According to the WMO’s Global Atmosphere Watch, concentrations of the three most critical long-lived greenhouse gases—carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), and nitrous oxide (N₂O)—all surged to record levels.
CO₂ levels reached 423.9 parts per million, methane rose to 1,942 parts per billion, and nitrous oxide climbed to 338 parts per billion.
These figures mark respective increases of 52 percent, 166 percent, and 25 percent above pre-industrial levels, representing the highest annual jump in CO₂ since recordkeeping began.
The WMO attributes part of this surge to El Niño conditions, which reduce the ability of ecosystems to absorb carbon while intensifying forest fires.
In 2024 alone, wildfires consumed land twice the size of Alaska, releasing more than eight billion tonnes of carbon dioxide—nearly 10 percent higher than the two-decade average.
However, the most concerning trend lies in the weakening of natural carbon sinks such as forests and oceans.
Historically, these systems have absorbed about half of all human-generated carbon emissions, but scientists warn that rising temperatures are reducing their effectiveness.
This breakdown creates a dangerous feedback loop where higher temperatures lead to more CO₂ in the atmosphere, further accelerating global warming.
“The heat trapped by CO₂ and other greenhouse gases is turbo-charging our climate,” said WMO Deputy Secretary-General Ko Barrett.
Experts emphasize that immediate and large-scale emission reductions are essential to prevent irreversible climate consequences that threaten ecosystems, economies, and human well-being worldwide.
