EarthOne Takes a Stand: Climate Pressures Are Real—and We’re Not Ignoring Them
It’s Not Just About Numbers, It’s About Our Planet
EarthOne has launched a new section focused on environmental issues because, as the article says, “we love the planet and we believe science.” And that love is showing in the headlines: the latest UN weather report warns that time is ticking for transformative action.
Big, Bad, Breaking Records
The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) released its first annual report ahead of next month’s UN climate summit in Egypt—so leaders can get their act together.
- All three main greenhouse gases—carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide—surpassed the decade‑long average increase and reached new record levels.
- CO₂ jumped by 2.5 ppm to 415.7—“the highest level in at least three million years” when the Earth was a lot hotter.
- Methane’s rise is the biggest seen since the record-keeping began in 1983. It’s the second‑most powerful warming gas.
Why It Matters
Greenhouse gases keep our planet warm and trigger extreme weather like heatwaves and heavy downpours. Unlike emissions that can be cut—think less flying or fewer factories during the pandemic—most CO₂ emitted decades ago is still hanging around, nudging the climate in a slow but steady shift.
Mysterious Methane Surge
The WMO is digging into why methane spiked by 18 ppb to 1,908 last year, following a similar jump in 2020. The primary culprits appear to be wetlands, landfills, and rice paddies, likely because warmer temperatures speed up natural decomposition.
“This is pretty scary,” says Oksana Tarasova, a senior scientific officer at the WMO. “You can’t know where you’re heading if you don’t understand the exact processes.” She’s calling for a beefier monitoring network around wetlands.
What the WMO Leaders Are Saying
Petteri Taalas, WMO Secretary‑General, warns that the record acceleration in methane levels signals we’re heading in the wrong direction. He stresses that the necessary changes—over energy, industry, and transportation—are both affordable and technically doable. “Time is running out,” he says.
Takeaway for All of Us
Climate change isn’t a distant drama—it’s a daily reality that’s piling up quickly. The WMO’s report is a call to action: we need to transform how we live and work before the planet’s path becomes irreversible.
For more insights and stories on this topic, check out the EarthOneUN section dedicated to environmental issues.
