Scientists warn global warming is accelerating beyond control as CO2 levels rise
Scientists are warning that global warming is beginning to spiral out of control.
According to the Met Office, Earth is 'off-track' to keep global warming under control and limit it to 1.5°C (2.7°F) - a target set in the Paris Agreement by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
Last year, the data painted a worrying picture. 2024 was recorded as the hottest year on record.
Meanwhile, measurements from Mauna Loa, Hawaii recorded a rise in carbon dioxide (CO2) of 3.58 parts per million (ppm) in 2024. This far exceeded the Met Office's prediction of 2.84ppm.
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Additionally, satellite measurements showed a 'very large rise' of CO2 across the globe. This was driven by hot, dry conditions linked to both El Niño and ongoing climate change, the Met Office explained.
"Last week, it was confirmed that 2024 was the warmest year on record, with annual average temperatures higher than 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels for the first time," said Professor Richard Betts, who led the production of the forecast.
"While this does not represent a failure to achieve the Paris Agreement target, as that would require breaching warming 1.5°C over a longer period and we may see a slightly cooler year in 2025, the long-term warming trend will continue because CO2 is still building up in the atmosphere."
Worryingly, if global warming is to be limited to 1.5°C (2.7°F), CO2 needs to be slowed by 1.8 ppm per year, as per the IPCC.
But without collaborative international action, the world will struggle to avoid reaching the 1.5°C limit permanently.
On a positive note, the CO2 increase between 2024 and 2025 is expected to be less severe than last year, estimated at 2.26 ± 0.56 ppm. According to the Met Office, this is due to a partial recovery of carbon sinks thanks to a shift from El Niño to La Niña conditions.
"La Niña conditions are expected to cause forests and other ecosystems to soak up more carbon than last year, temporarily slowing the atmospheric CO2 rise," Professor Betts added.
However, this slower rise may still be too fast to keep global warming below the target. "Stopping global warming needs the build-up of greenhouse gases in the air to come to a complete halt and then start to reduce," Professor Betts continued.
'Urgent action' is needed 'internationally' if we are to avoid catastrophic disaster, the expert exclaimed.
The new study follows just a report published by the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) which reported last year's temperatures were 0.12°C (0.22°F) above 2023, the previous warmest year on record.