Greenhouse Gases Reach Record High, Stressing Need for Immediate Action

October 29, 2024

Mountain communities everywhere face the potentially catastrophic impact of glacial melt linked to global warming and rising concentrations of key greenhouse gases. [Image credit: UNEP/Todd Brown]

Cited article by UN News

HRRC underscores the urgent need for global action to mitigate climate change and transition to sustainable energy sources.

News Brief

New data released by the United Nations shows that greenhouse gases have hit a record high, illustrating that urgent action is needed from the world’s major polluters to protect humanity from climate change. World Meteorological Organization's (WMO) 2024 Greenhouse Gas Bulletin offers a scientific reminder that rising CO2 levels need to be slowed. In 2004, the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere was 377.1 parts per million (ppm), while in 2023, this reached 420 ppm, according to WMO’s Global Atmosphere Watch Network.

According to Ko Barrett, the Deputy Secretary-General of WMO, the rise underscores the critical importance of global efforts to reduce emissions and transition to sustainable energy sources. The WMO’s call to action comes as world leaders prepare for upcoming climate negotiations, stressing that immediate measures are essential to protect the planet.