You're the centerpiece in a phenomenon not seen in 30 million years
AP Earth's atmosphere has surpassed 430 parts per million (ppm) of carbon dioxide
For the first time in millions of years, Earth's atmosphere has surpassed 430 parts per million (ppm) of carbon dioxide, marking a new and alarming milestone in the ongoing climate crisis. According to the latest data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and researchers at the University of California, San Diego, the global average CO₂ concentration in May 2025 exceeded 430 ppm—an increase of over 3 ppm from the previous year.
This record-breaking concentration is the highest observed in at least several million years, with some scientists suggesting CO₂ levels may not have been this high for tens of millions of years. The rapid rise is largely attributed to human activities, particularly the burning of fossil fuels, which release vast quantities of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. The accumulation of CO₂ and other greenhouse gases acts as a heat trap, raising global temperatures and driving more extreme weather events such as heatwaves, droughts, storms, and floods.
Ralph Keeling, a climate scientist at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, commented on the trend: 'Another year, another record. It's sad.' He emphasized that the speed of the increase is especially concerning, as it reflects a failure by nations to sufficiently curb emissions and slow the pace of climate change.
Recent years have seen some of the largest annual increases in atmospheric CO₂ on record. For example, between 2023 and 2024, the increase was 3.75 ppm—the largest one-year jump ever recorded, with the annual average reaching 422.8 ppm in 2024. The continued rise is fueled not only by fossil fuel combustion but also by reduced carbon uptake by natural sinks (like forests) and increased emissions from wildfires, such as those in the Amazon and Canada. In 2023, global wildfires alone emitted an estimated 7.3 billion tonnes of CO₂. The implications of these rising CO₂ levels are profound. Scientists warn that unless the build-up of greenhouse gases is slowed and eventually reversed, the world will continue to experience more severe climate impacts. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has stated that to limit global warming to 1.5°C—as outlined in the Paris Agreement—the annual increase in atmospheric CO₂ must slow to about 1.8 ppm per year. Current trends, however, show no sign of this happening.
'Until we reach net zero CO₂ emissions globally, world temperatures will continue to rise and cause increasingly severe impacts,' said Celeste Saulo, Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization. The record-breaking temperatures and extreme weather events of 2024, which killed thousands and displaced millions worldwide, underscore the urgency of the situation.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
14 hours ago
- Time of India
Paris climate target ‘will never die', remains world's ultimate goal: Researchers
BATHINDA: The world's expected passing of the Paris Agreement's 1.5°C limit during this decade raises pressure for countries to submit bold emissions reduction plans before COP30 in November, two researchers have warned. Prof Joeri Rogelj and Lavanya Rajamani, in a paper published in Science, argues that determining precisely when the world crosses 1.5°C is not necessary, because the decisions needed in response – reduce emissions rapidly in the near term – are already clear and do not suddenly change at that point. Instead, getting closer to 1.5°C should be a wake-up call for the world to focus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions this decade to limit the amount of warming the world experiences past 1.5°C to protect vulnerable groups, they say adding in the longer term reversing warming and getting below 1.5°C must be the goal. The paper follows the hottest year ever on record, commentary that the 1.5°C target is 'deader than a doornail' and the fact that only 21 out of 195 countries that signed the Paris Agreement have thus far submitted new five-year emissions reduction plans. Warming above 1.5°C greatly increases climate risks, including dangerous sea level rise, the collapse of coral reefs, the loss of the Greenland ice sheet and the dieback of the Amazon rainforest. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Ductless Air Conditioners Are Selling Like Crazy [See Why] Keep Cool Click Here Undo Key arguments in the paper includes: Approaching or exceeding 1.5°C of warming does not extinguish the Paris Agreement's ambitious goal but makes urgent climate action even more important. The exact timing of when the world crosses 1.5°C is less important than sustained efforts to cut emissions. The Paris Agreement remains vital as a global framework to guide emissions cuts and adaptation efforts, despite geopolitical challenges. Professor Rogelj, Director of Research at the Grantham Institute – Climate Change and the Environment, said: '1.5°C of warming is just around the corner and it will take a herculean effort to avoid it. 'This is deeply concerning, but crossing it makes the target more important because every fraction of warming – whether it is 1.6, 2 or 3°C – creates a more dangerous world and the longer we stay above 1.5°C, the higher the losses and damages for people will be. 'The key message of our paper is that 1.5°C will never die. It will remain our ultimate goal for a safe, livable and just planet. We need to remember that reversing warming is not a new goal, but already a key aim of the Paris Agreement.' The 2015 Paris Agreement aims to keep warming 'well below 2°C' and to pursue efforts to limit it to 1.5°C. Small island states proposed the 1.5°C target in the late 2000s as a matter of survival – '1.5 to stay alive' – and since 2015, it has become the immediate goal in the fight to tackle climate change. However, the world is not currently on track to keeping warming below the Paris Agreement targets. Most countries are still burning large amounts of fossil fuels, which release emissions that cause the climate to warm. Global warming is expected to exceed 1.5°C before the end of the decade, near 2°C by 2050, and rise to between 2.6°C and 3.1°C over the course of the century. These projections have resulted in commentary that 1.5°C is 'dead' and calls from some researchers to determine the precise timing of when 1.5°C is crossed. Professors Rogelj and Rajamani argue that exceeding 1.5°C does not mean abandoning the goal or triggering a specific policy shift for emissions reductions or adaptation needs but working harder to limit overshoot – the amount of warming experienced above 1.5°C . Their paper emphasises the need for countries to act with the highest ambition possible to bring emissions down to zero, achieve net-negative emissions, and get warming back below 1.5°C in the long-term. They note that even in a world that has crossed 1.5°C, countries and businesses can continue to follow emission pathways aligned with the target. The Paris Agreement remains the most important international tool for tackling climate change, particularly due to its requirement that countries submit plans to cut emissions every five years, the researchers say. While the deadline has been extended until September, just 21 of 195 countries signed up to the Paris Agreement have submitted their plan, known as a Nationally Determined Contribution or NDC. NDCs with the highest possible cuts to emissions will reduce the amount of time the world spends above 1.5°C and reduce harm to human life and ecosystems, the researchers say. Professor Lavanya Rajamani, Faculty of Law, University of Oxford, said: 'We want to reframe the way people talk about 1.5°C. Approaching or even surpassing it is a warning signal that states need to redouble their efforts, not to throw up their hands and declare 1.5°C 'over' or 'dead.' 'We need to stay focused on keeping warming below 1.5°C in the long term, and avoiding the worst impacts of climate change for people and the planet.' 'Our position is supported by a growing body of scientific evidence, the terms of the Paris Agreement, and the wider normative environment, including human rights obligations, that states are subject to.' Professor Rogelj, Director of Research at the Grantham Institute – Climate Change and the Environment, said: 'There is no such thing as a safe level of warming. 'Even below 1.5°C we see dangerous climate change. Devastating weather disasters in 2024 really made that clear – just think of the Valencia floods, Hajj heatwave and Hurricane Helene which collectively killed more than 1,500 people. 'Every tonne of carbon emitted and every fraction of a degree counts. That's why we need to see bold NDCs before the COP30 climate summit in November that deliver meaningful emissions reductions before the end of the decade. A focus on near-term reductions is key to limiting the harms that come with warming above 1.5°C.'
Hans India
18 hours ago
- Hans India
AP EDCET-2025 results released
Guntur: AP EDCET-2025 chairman and Acharya Nagarjuna University vice-chancellor Prof K Gangadhar on Friday released AP EDCET results. AP State Council of Higher Education and ANU jointly conducted the AP EDCET -2025 for admission into B Ed courses across the state on June 5. Prof Gangadhar Rao informed that as many as 14,612 candidates attended the examinations, out of which 99.42% passed. AP EDCET-2025 convenor Prof AVVS Swamy said for EDCET-2025 results and ranks click K Venkata Kusumanjali, M Chandini and D Krishna secured first three ranks in Biological Science. P Prasanthi, D Srihitha, and V Akhila bagged the first three ranks in English. M Naveen Kumar, P Sai Sadhana, S Komalika secured first three ranks in Mathematics. P Manikanta, V Lakshmi Kameswari, and M Maheswari bagged first three ranks in Physical Science. Syed Habibunnisa, P Jagadeeswara Rao, and Ch Lokesh secured first three ranks in Social Studies.
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Hindustan Times
X-Class solar flare triggers radio blackout across the US. See map
A powerful X-class solar flare from the Sun disrupted radio communications across large parts of the Pacific and the United States on Thursday, June 19, stated a Newsweek report. Captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory, the flare was recorded at 11:50 pm UTC. Classified as an X1.9 solar flare, the blast ranked among the most extreme solar phenomena. An extreme solar flare caused radio signal blackouts across the United States. See map The intense ultraviolet radiation from the flare caused a shortwave radio blackout affecting frequencies below 25 Megahertz (MHz). The blackout was most noticeable across the Pacific Ocean, with amateur radio operators in Hawaii and coastal areas particularly impacted. Map shows radio signal blackout caused by X-class solar flare(NOAA) Solar flare follows earlier June 15 event Solar flares are violent bursts of energy on the Sun's surface, capable of releasing as much power as a billion hydrogen bombs, NASA stated. Flares are rated by intensity with X-class representing the highest category. These can trigger planet-wide communication disruptions and long-lasting radiation storms. The Newsweek report stated that the X1.9 event followed an earlier M-class flare on June 15, which temporarily knocked out radio signals across North America at lower frequencies. Unlike the previous M8.3 flare, the one recorded on Thursday did not eject a Coronal Mass Ejection (CME), a massive plasma and magnetic burst, into space. However, scientists at NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center warned that the explosion likely destabilized a large magnetic filament in the Sun's southern hemisphere. Also read: NASA astronauts make 'space sushi' aboard the ISS to cheer up sushi-craving crewmate Eruption may lead to rare aurora sightings at lower latitudes The filament is currently erupting and may trigger a CME, which could reach Earth in the coming days and spark geomagnetic storms. These storms could disrupt satellites and power grids, but also produce brilliant auroras, sometimes visible far beyond their usual polar range. NOAA explained that if a CME arrived at Earth, it could generate strong geomagnetic storms, leading to some of the brightest auroras extending toward lower latitudes. Last year, per the report, similar conditions led to sightings of the aurora borealis as far south as Japan. Auroras arise from charged particles from the Sun colliding with our atmosphere. This process causes atoms and molecules in the atmosphere to become excited; when these excited particles return to their lower energy states, they release this energy as visible light, creating the striking color associated with the northern lights. With solar activity on the rise in the peak of the current solar cycle, we will likely see more solar activity in the next several months. FAQs What caused the June 19 radio blackout? An X1.9-class solar flare from the Sun released intense ultraviolet radiation, disrupting shortwave radio signals, especially across the Pacific. Which areas were affected? The Pacific Ocean region, including parts of the United States and Hawaii, experienced signal disruptions on frequencies below 25 MHz. What is an X-class solar flare? X-class flares are the most intense category of solar flares, capable of causing global radio blackouts and radiation storms. Could this affect power grids or GPS? If a CME reaches Earth, it could cause geomagnetic storms that might impact satellites, GPS, and even power infrastructure.
