In numbers… carbon dioxide records a historic jump

In numbers.. Carbon dioxide records a historic jump

From day to day, global reports and data continue to reveal the current situation surrounding the planet Earth. This is news that explains with accurate data the picture of the global climate, the most prominent components of which are the atmosphere and the gases it contains; Especially carbon dioxide (CO2).

Concerning this,Earth GuardsIn the following lines, she highlights the latest global report confirming that the rate of carbon dioxide gas has risen to an unprecedented rate in the atmosphere during the year 2024, which raises growing concerns about the collapse of natural ecosystems, which represent the first bulwark in the face of climate change.

Carbon dioxide

The average increase in carbon dioxide concentration – according to the latest data issued by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) – has reached 3.75 parts per million in just one year, which is the highest rate since the beginning of monitoring these gases, exceeding the record recorded in previous years.

It is a sudden increase that caused concern among scientists. Because it is not proportional to the rate of increase in emissions resulting from the combustion of fossil fuels, which did not exceed 0.8% compared to the previous year, according to what was reported byGlobal Carbon Project (a global organization that measures emissions of Greenhouse Gases (GHGs)).

Nature is retreating from its traditional role

Climate experts point out that this imbalance is due – above all – to the decline in the ability of terrestrial and marine ecosystems to absorb carbon, due to droughts and fires, and the shrinkage of vegetation cover, especially in tropical regions such as the Amazon forests, which last year – in 2024 – witnessed a severe drought that caused them to lose their vital function of being a natural carbon sink.

In the same context, data from NASA’s Orbital Carbon Observatory showed that the Earth absorbed about 2.24 gigatons in one year, which is equivalent to the rate of emissions resulting from the combustion of more than 40 billion kilograms – approximately – of coal.

Concerning this, Dr. John Miller – a researcher at the Global Monitoring Laboratory of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration – said: “There are clear indicators that show that the Earth has begun to lose its function of absorbing carbon; This is due to climate change”.

This is because forests, agricultural lands, and soil previously absorbed about 30% of emissions, according to reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). However, this percentage has begun to decline, especially with extreme climate change associated with the El Niño phenomenon (a global climate phenomenon in which warm water masses move from the eastern to the western Pacific Ocean), which contributed to the deepening of drought waves and the worsening of forest fires in 2017. 2024.

At the height of this phenomenon, nearly a third of the Amazon forests suffered from severe drought, followed by catastrophic fires that devoured vast areas of ancient trees, which had been storing carbon for centuries. With the disappearance of vegetation cover, the decline in photosynthesis processes, and the acceleration of soil decomposition due to heat, These areas have turned from carbon sinks into carbon sources.

On the other hand,the oceans – which absorb about a quarter of global carbon emissions – have not recorded noticeable changes in their ability to absorb carbon so far, but scientists warn that the continued increase in carbon concentrations will inevitably affect the ability of these oceans in the future.

Loss of natural defensive line

The previously stated absence of changes in the ability of the oceans to absorb carbon reinforces the hypothesis that the main reason for the carbon jump – in 2024 – is due to the collapse of land vegetation due to climate change. Which indicates the dangerous beginning of more global carbon emissions.

Therefore, she carriesThe Earth Guardsin her mind and heart a clear message; It is to strengthen everything that can combat these unfortunate climate changes. To achieve a healthy life for all peoples of the Earth in accordance with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).