"Truly Dangerous Situation"... Greenhouse Gas Concentrations and Sea Level Heights Reach Historic Highs

NOAA Annual Climate Report
"Highest Levels Recorded in Modern Observations"
"Climate Crisis, an Urgent Issue to Address"

The concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere reached 414.7 ppm in 2021, surpassing the highest recorded observation in 2020 by 2.3 ppm. Photo by AP Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Juri] Amid abnormal climate phenomena occurring worldwide, it has been revealed that greenhouse gas concentrations and sea levels have reached record highs.

The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released the overall findings of its 2021 global climate survey on the 31st (local time) through its annual State of the Climate report.

Atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations reached 414.7 ppm in 2021, surpassing the previous record set in 2020 by 2.3 ppm. Sea levels also rose for the tenth consecutive year, setting a new record by being 97 mm higher than the average level in 1993.

The report explained these results as "not only the highest levels in at least the past several million years based on paleoclimate records but also the highest ever recorded in modern observational history."

In August, a flood caused by heavy rain occurred in the Gangnam-gu area of Seoul. At that time, dozens of vehicles were submerged, resulting in unusual damage. Photo by Yonhap News

NOAA warned that this series of changes signals a 'bad omen' forecasting the frequent occurrence of extreme weather events such as massive floods, severe droughts, heatwaves, and cold spells.

Rick Spinrad, NOAA Administrator, stated, "The meaning of the report is clear," adding, "There will be compelling scientific evidence showing no signs of slowing climate change."

Spinrad emphasized, "This year, many regions experienced the worst floods in a thousand years, extremely rare droughts, and record-breaking heatwaves," highlighting that "the climate crisis is not a future threat but an urgent issue that must be addressed immediately."

A displaced family in Jaffarabad, Balochistan province, southwestern Pakistan, is carrying household items as they pass through an area flooded by heavy rain. Photo by AP Yonhap News

Meanwhile, the recent severe flooding in Pakistan is known to have been caused by record-breaking heavy rainfall brought by the so-called 'monster monsoon.'

The monsoon, caused by the temperature difference between continents and oceans, is a seasonal wind phenomenon blowing from the continent to the sea in winter and from the sea to the continent in summer. Some scientists analyze that global warming has made the monsoon stronger and more irregular.

Sherry Rehman, Pakistan's Minister of Climate Change, cited the global climate crisis as the main cause of the floods.

Minister Rehman stated, "Pakistan has the most glaciers outside the polar regions," and claimed, "The glaciers in the northern mountainous areas of Pakistan melted faster than usual, worsening the heavy rainfall." She further emphasized, "This is a large-scale humanitarian disaster caused by climate anomalies."

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