World Meteorological Organization: "Four Major Climate Change Indicators at All-Time Worst"... Is a Climate Disaster Approaching?

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Dong-hoon] The four key indicators showing the severity of climate change recorded all-time highs as of last year. The four key indicators are greenhouse gas concentration, sea level rise, sea temperature, and ocean acidity.

According to the "2021 Global Climate Status Report" released by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) on the 18th (local time), the carbon dioxide concentration in 2020 was recorded at 413.2 ppm. This level is 149% compared to pre-industrial times. Accordingly, the concentration of greenhouse gases, which have a large proportion of carbon dioxide, also broke the record for the highest level ever.

This figure has continued to increase last year and this year as well. For example, the monthly average carbon dioxide concentration measured at the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii showed a continuous upward trend: 416.45 ppm in April 2020, 419.05 ppm in April last year, and 420.23 ppm in April this year.

The "red alert" for climate change was also evident in the oceans. The global average sea level rose by an average of 4.5 mm per year from 2013 to 2021, setting a record high in 2021. Considering that the annual average was 2.1 mm between 1993 and 2002, this is more than double the rate of increase. The report pointed out that the loss of glaciers is the main cause accelerating sea level rise, threatening the survival of hundreds of millions of people living along the coasts.

Sea temperature and ocean acidification are also worsening. In terms of sea temperature, the upper 2000 meters of the ocean have continuously warmed so far, and this phenomenon is expected to continue. The report stated that all data show the rate of ocean warming has accelerated over the past 20 years, warning that "this is a change that will be difficult to reverse even after hundreds or thousands of years."

The pH value indicating ocean acidification is at its lowest level in the past 26,000 years. This is closely related to carbon dioxide emissions. The ocean absorbs 23% of the annual anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions. As ocean acidification progresses, the amount of atmospheric carbon dioxide absorbed decreases, causing the Earth's self-purification function to collapse. This threatens organisms and ecosystems and negatively impacts food security.

The Earth's average annual temperature, which reflects climate change, was also the highest over the seven years from 2015 to 2021. Last year was less hot compared to previous years due to the cooling effect of the "La Ni?a" phenomenon, but it was still 1.11℃ higher than pre-industrial levels.

Ant?nio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, expressed concern, saying, "This is a grim report about humanity's failure to address climate change," and warned, "The global energy system is collapsing, and climate disasters are drawing closer."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.