The levels of gases in the
atmosphere that drive global warming increased to a record high in 2012.
According to the World
Meteorological Organization (WMO), atmospheric CO2 grew more rapidly last year
than its average rise over the past decade.
Concentrations of methane and
nitrous oxide also broke previous records
Thanks to carbon dioxide and these
other gases, the WMO says the warming effect on our climate has increased by
almost a third since 1990.
The WMO's annual greenhouse gas
bulletin measures concentrations in the atmosphere, not emissions on the
ground.
Carbon dioxide is the most important
of the gases that they track, but only about half of the CO2 that's emitted by
human activities remains in the atmosphere, with the rest being absorbed by the
plants, trees, the land and the oceans.
Since the start of the industrial
era in 1750, global average levels of CO2 in the atmosphere have increased by
141%.
According to the WMO there were
393.1 parts per million (ppm) of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere in 2012, an
increase of 2.2ppm over 2011.
This was above the yearly average of
2.02ppm over the past decade.
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