World Meteorological Organization Reports Record High Emissions for 2023

Yet again, global greenhouse gas emission concentrations have risen to record highs for 2023, according to a new report by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

In particular, atmospheric carbon dioxide is reaching a record pace as it soars to new highs, with the amount of carbon dioxide emissions accumulating in the atmosphere reaching an 11.4% increase in just the past two decades, the report found.

The WMO’s latest Greenhouse Gas Bulletin No. 20, which is published yearly, determined that carbon dioxide in the atmosphere reached 420 parts per million (ppm) in 2023, compared to 377.1 ppm in 2004. From 2022 to 2023 alone, the amount of carbon dioxide in the global surface atmosphere increased by 2.3 ppm, which is the 12th year in a row that atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations increased by more than 2 ppm year-over-year. Further, carbon dioxide concentrations within the year of 2023 increased by 2.8 ppm.

“Another year. Another record. This should set alarm bells ringing among decision makers,” WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo said in a statement. “We are clearly off track to meet the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global warming to well below 2°C and aiming for 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. These are more than just statistics. Every part per million and every fraction of a degree temperature increase has a real impact on our lives and our planet.”

According to the report, atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations are accumulating faster now than at any time of human existence, and levels have reached 51% higher than they were in pre-industrial times.

But it’s not just carbon dioxide that is reaching record highs. Other long-living greenhouse gases have also been rapidly accumulating. The WMO found that methane concentrations increased to 1,934 parts per billion (ppb) and nitrous oxide concentrations increased to 336.9 ppb last year. As The Guardian reported, atmospheric methane has increased 265% and nitrous oxide 125% compared to concentrations of pre-industrial times.

There are many factors that have played into the rapid accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, including wildfires and fossil fuel-related activities. The WMO also noted that issues such as a loss in carbon sequestration ability for forests and events like El Niño can also exacerbate the increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases in Earth’s atmosphere.

“The Bulletin warns that we face a potential vicious cycle. Natural climate variability plays a big role in carbon cycle. But in the near future, climate change itself could cause ecosystems to become larger sources of greenhouse gases,” Ko Barrett, WMO Deputy Secretary-General, said in a statement. “Wildfires could release more carbon emissions into the atmosphere, whilst the warmer ocean might absorb less CO2. Consequently, more CO2 could stay in the atmosphere to accelerate global warming. These climate feedbacks are critical concerns to human society.”

Even if greenhouse gas emissions start dropping rapidly to meet global net-zero goals, the longevity of these gases means they can still contribute to global warming for decades to come, the WMO warned. As The Guardian reported, current estimates have found that the world needs to invest $1 trillion to $2 trillion annually in emissions reduction efforts in order to reach net-zero goals by 2050.

The report has been published ahead of 2024 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29), which is to take place in Baku, Azerbaijan this November. It was designed to complement the UN’s Emissions Gap Report, published last week, that determined the world is currently on track to blaze past the 1.5-degree Celsius target to limit warming as set in the Paris Agreement. Instead, the world faces 3.1 degrees Celsius of warming by 2100.

According to the WMO, the last time the planet experienced such high concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere was between 3 million and 5 million years ago, a time when warming was between 2 to 3 degrees Celsius warmer and sea levels were up to 20 meters higher.