The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced that CO2 emission in the atmosphere have reached global record in March 2015. Concentration of the greenhouse gas reached the 400 ppm global record for the first time since measurements began.
Following similar statements in 2012 and 2013 when the 400 ppm record had been surpassed only at regional levels, the newly released data is worrying for climate scientist.
Over a period of only three years, from 2012 to 2014, the concentration level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere was 2.25 ppm, the highest ever recorded.
To understand NOAA methodology it is sufficient to state that scientists are collecting air samples from 40 global sites. The analysis of these samples is a lengthy process, but the yielded results a powerful and meaningful tool in understanding the reality of climate change due to the sustained measuring of atmospheric gases.
The periodic reports released by NOAA and other leaders in the climate science field are designed to help policy makers in taking meaningful decisions. It is hoped that with this latest alarm signal the Paris Climate Summit set to take place in December in Paris will result in a powerful agreement on curbing the current trends.
The International Energy Agency reported to this end that global emissions resulted from fossil fuel burning came to a stall in 2014. Yet, NOAA lead scientist Pieter Tans stated that while the record in itself doesn’t amount to much, it is the increasing trend that is worrying.
“This marks the fact that humans burning fossil fuels have caused global carbon dioxide concentrations to rise more than 120 parts per million since pre-industrial times. Half of that rise has occurred since 1980.”
Scientists may provide the eye-opening data, yet it is undeniable that the power to change is in the hands of policy makers and governments. Ultimately, the global community should fight the rising of temperatures caused by greenhouse gas emissions under the auspices of legally binding global agreements.
Thus, under the patronage of the United Nations Framework on Convention on Climate Change, the Paris Climate Summit should mark a break with harming trends that are increasing the greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere and make way for a cleaner start.
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