New record: for a century there had not been so much CO2
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The Scripps Institute of Oceanography announced that CO2 particles in the atmosphere beat a new record and did so earlier than expected
Worryingly, this is how the alarming number of CO2 emissions that have occurred so far in 2019 can be described. The Scripps Institute of Oceanography revealed that emissions broke a new record; the measurement made in February showed that 411.66 parts per million of CO2 were emitted.
Leer en español: Nuevo récord: desde hace un siglo no había tanto CO2
The institute explained that the record is strange, since the levels of carbon dioxide in the planet normally reach a peak in May. That is, the amount of CO2 was reached 3 months earlier than expected.
411.66 February average CO2 concentration at Mauna Loa sets a new record for monthly average. It is rare, but not unprecedented, in Keeling Curve history that it is set in a February, well before the peak month of May.
— Keeling_Curve (@Keeling_curve) 5 de marzo de 2019
Achieving this new brand is due to a dangerous combination: El niño phenomenon and high burning of fossil fuels, explained Ralph Keeling, director of the institute.
“The recent rapid rise is not surprising with the combination of weak El Nino conditions and unprecedented emissions from fossil-fuel burning….
— Keeling_Curve (@Keeling_curve) 6 de marzo de 2019
The measurement is a wake-up call to reduce the combustion of combatibles such as coal, oil, and gas and to bet on the development of sustainable and less polluting energies such as solar, wind, hydraulics, among others.
Additionally, according to El Espectador, "there has not been so much carbon dioxide in the atmosphere of our planet since before cars began to clog the roads a century ago, before agriculture was developed 10,000 years ago, and before Modern humans evolved more than a million years ago."
CO2 emissions are part of the greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change and its harmful effects. For this reason, emissions must be controlled or serious disturbances to the planet in general can be triggered.
You can play: How much you know about climate change
Why are CO2 emissions bad?
This type of emissions contribute to glacial melting, the increase in the level of seas, and the acidification of water sources. Additionally, meteorological phenomena could become devastating because they would acquire a higher level.
On the other hand, ecosystems would be highly affected and the extinction of flora and fauna would accelerate. Finally, due to climate changes, agriculture would also end up being damaged.
What you can do
- Choose to use transport that does not emit greenhouse gases such as bicycles and skates
- Support the development of sustainable energies
- Support the implementation of environmental initiatives such as the Paris Agreement
LatinAmerican Post | Marcela Peñaloza
Translated from "Nuevo récord: desde hace un siglo no había tanto CO2"
