Despite Pandemic Shutdowns, Carbon Dioxide and Methane Surged in 2020

Carbon dioxide levels are now higher than at anytime in the past 3.6 million years. Levels of the two most important anthropogenic greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide and methane, continued their unrelenting rise in 2020 despite the economic slowdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic response, NOAA announced today.

The global surface average for carbon dioxide (CO2), calculated from measurements collected at NOAA’s remote sampling locations, was 412.5 parts per million (ppm) in 2020, rising by 2.6 ppm during the year. The global rate of increase was the fifth-highest in NOAA’s 63-year record, following 1987, 1998, 2015 and 2016. The annual mean at NOAA’s Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii was 414.4 ppm during 2020.

Open
Tags: Carbon Cycle Carbon Emissions Climate Change greenhouse gasses methane Pollution
Despite Pandemic Shutdowns, Carbon Dioxide and Methane Surged in 2020

Related Resources

Beyond Plastic Waste
 With more than 8 million tons of plastic entering the ocean each year, humanity must urgently rethink the way we make and use plastics, so that they do not become waste in the first place. Cheap, ligh[...]
Tags: marine plasticoceanplastic wastePollution
Why is pH Important?
 pH is important for a wide range of industries from aquaculture to wastewater treatments that require an accurate pH reading, especially when it comes down to human safety. [...]
Tags: Carbon EmissionsClimate ChangeGlobal carbon cycleOcean Acidification
Seagrasses, Nature’s Water Filter
 In many systems, vegetated estuarine habitats such as salt marshes and seagrass beds act as a natural water filtration system—where sediment and nutrient-rich water flows in and cleaner water flows [...]
Tags: cultural servicesEcosystem Benefitsprovisional servicesregulating services
What is Carbon Sequestration?
 Carbon sequestration – the practice of removing carbon from the atmosphere and storing it – is one of the many approaches being taken to tackle climate change. Find out why this method is being us[...]
Tags: Carbon EmissionsCarbon SequestrationClimate Changegreen carbon
Ocean Acidification
 The ocean absorbs about 30% of the carbon dioxide (CO2) that is released in the atmosphere. As levels of atmospheric CO2 increase from human activity such as burning fossil fuels (e.g., car emissions)[...]
Tags: CarbonCarbon EmissionsCarbon SequestrationClimate Change
4 Charts Explain Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Countries and Sectors
 Globally, greenhouse gas emissions have grown by 53% from 1990 to 2019. Where are these emissions coming from, and who is responsible? WRI’s Climate Watch platform offers comprehensive emissions dat[...]
Tags: Carbon EmissionsClimate ChangeGlobal carbon cyclePollution
Provisioning and Supporting Services of Mangroves
 There are a number of tangible products that can be directly utilised and marketed from mangrove forests. [...]
Tags: Ecosystem BenefitsFisheriesmangrovesprovisioning services
Ecosystems as Fish Factories
 The authors’ initial global model of mangrove fisheries was built up front a detailed review of hundreds of studies from around the world, and informed by an expert panel. In terms of natural pr[...]
Tags: BiodiversityEcosystem Benefitsecosystem servicesFisheries