On Nov. 21, the World Meteorological Organization released data on the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere in 2010. It shows a record level of greenhouse gases and that the buildup is accelerating at a quicker pace than first thought. The amount of carbon dioxide has reached 389 parts per million and an increase of 2.3 million parts per million from 2009. This is higher than the levels from the 1990s and the past decade.
There was also an increase in nitrous oxide, which traps almost 300 times the heat of carbon dioxide. The main source of nitrous oxide is from the farming industry’s use of nitrogen-based fertilizers.
Scientists have attributed the continued rising levels of carbon dioxide to fossil fuel burning, deforestation and changes in land use. Every year there are pledges from the world’s biggest polluters that they will curb emissions, but every year the concentration of CO₂ increases.
One of the results of this increase in the atmosphere is an increase of CO₂ in the oceans. This makes oceans more acidic and causes the destruction of vital coral reefs.
According to WMO Secretary General Michel Jarraud, “Even if we managed to halt our greenhouse gas emissions today … they would continue to linger in the atmosphere for decades to come and so continue to affect the delicate balance of our living planet and our climate.”
This is the reason that the world must act now and not wait any longer to fix this problem. As years pass with no action taken to curb greenhouse gases, the planet is suffering greater and greater consequences. The solution is a planned economy where people’s needs are the main driving force instead of the drive for greater and greater profits. Capitalism has outlived its usefulness and must be replaced.
