◀ anchor ▶
The global carbon dioxide concentration measured last month surpassed 420 ppm, hitting another all-time high.
About 4.1 million years ago, when our ancestors appeared, the Earth’s carbon dioxide concentration was at exactly this level.
The difference is that carbon dioxide is increasing 100 times faster now than it was then.
In other words, the Earth has faced the first climate crisis in 4.1 million years, and the cause is humans, us.
Reporter Hyun In-ah reports.
◀ Report ▶
Global carbon dioxide levels have exceeded 420 ppm for the first time since observations.
The U.S. Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported that the average monthly carbon dioxide concentration observed in Hawaii last month was 421 ppm.
This is an increase of 1.8 ppm from May last year, the highest in 4.1 million years of Earth’s history, the researchers said.
The reason why the carbon dioxide concentration continues to soar is because of the greenhouse gases emitted by humans.
According to the recently published UN Climate Change Report, global greenhouse gas emissions in 2019 reached a record high of 59 billion tons.
It decreased by 5.8% in 2020 due to COVID-19, but then surged again.
[페테리 탈라스/세계기상기구 사무총장]
“The carbon dioxide record is shocking. Despite the COVID-19 lockdown, it hasn’t reduced it at all.”
4.1 million years ago, the Earth was called the Pliocene Warm Period, the time when human ancestors appeared.
The researchers say the global carbon dioxide concentration at that time was between 380 and 450 ppm, very close to what it is today.
However, the appearance of the Earth was vastly different from what it is today.
The average temperature of the Earth was more than 3 degrees Celsius, and the sea level was 25 meters higher.
A 25m rise in sea level means that the Arctic has melted and the Antarctic ice sheet has collapsed by a third.
The mid-latitudes and coastal regions, where the majority of mankind currently reside, appear to be in extreme environments.
[조천호/경희사이버대 미래인간과학스쿨 교수]
“(At that time) the concentration has changed over a million years or more. We humans have now burned fossil fuels to raise the concentration to this level in 100 years.”
In the 170 years since the Industrial Revolution, the total amount of greenhouse gas emitted by humans was 2.4 trillion tons.
Of that, nearly half, or 42%, were emitted intensively in the 30 years since 1990, when the climate crisis was detected.
This is In-ah Hyun from MBC News.
Video courtesy of NOAA NASA GREENPEACE
MBC News awaits your report 24 hours a day.
▷ Tel 02-784-4000
▷ Email mbcjebo@mbc.co.kr
▷ KakaoTalk @mbc report
