U.N. Says 2005 Set Greenhouse Gas Record
Pastor Dale Morgan
Nov 3, 3:06 PM EST
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U.N. Says 2005 Set Greenhouse Gas Record*
By ELIANE ENGELER
Associated Press Writer
GENEVA (AP) -- Heat-trapping greenhouse gases in the atmosphere reached
a record high in 2005 and are still increasing, the U.N. weather agency
said Friday.
The measurements coordinated by the World Meteorological Organization
show that the global average concentrations of carbon dioxide, or CO2,
and nitrous oxide, or N2O, reached record levels last year and are
expected to increase even further this year, said Geir Braathen, a
climate specialist at the Geneva-based agency.
"There is no sign that N2O and CO2 are starting to level off," Braathen
said at the global body's European headquarters. "It looks like it will
just continue like this for the foreseeable future."
The concentration of carbon dioxide rose by about 0.5 percent last year
to reach 379.1 parts per million, according to the agency. Nitrous oxide
has totaled 319.2 parts per billion, which is 0.19 percent higher than
in 2004. Levels of methane, another so-called greenhouse gas, remained
stable since last year, Braathen said.
Water vapor is the most common greenhouse gas, followed by CO2, N2O -
produced by natural sources as well as fertilizers, tree burning and
industry - and methane - produced by wetlands and other natural and
human processes. There is 35.4 percent more carbon dioxide since the
late 18th century primarily because of human burning for fossil fuels,
the WMO statement said.
Scientists say that carbon dioxide and other gases primarily from fossil
fuel-burning trap heat in the atmosphere and have warmed the Earth's
surface an average 1 degree in the past century.
A report this week by British government warned that global warming
would devastate the world economy on the scale of the world wars and the
Great Depression if left unchecked.
It said such warming could have effects such as melting glaciers, rising
sea levels, declining crop yields, drinking water shortages, higher
death tolls from malnutrition and heat stress, and widespread outbreaks
of malaria and dengue fever. Developing countries often would be the
hardest hit.
The U.N. agency said it also has concluded that "greenhouse gases are
some of the major drivers behind global warming and climate change."
Braathen said power plants, automobiles, ships and airplanes using coal,
oil or gas were contributing to the rise in carbon dioxide emissions
"The increase in CO2 is linked to the burning of fossil fuels," he said.
WMO said it based its findings on readings from 44 countries that were
collected in Japan.
The agency's findings come just ahead of the second meeting of the
countries that adhered to the Kyoto Protocol - aimed at capping
greenhouse gas emissions and staving off global warming - to be held in
Nairobi, Kenya, Nov. 6-17. Under the 1997 Kyoto accord, 35
industrialized nations have committed to reducing emissions by an
average 5 percent below 1990 levels by 2012. The United States, the
biggest emitter, rejects the agreement.
Braathen said it would take time until the protocol, which has been in
effect since last year only, leads to a reduction of greenhouse gas
emissions and that countries need to do more.
"To really make CO2 level off, we need more drastic measures than are in
the Kyoto Protocol today," he said.
On Monday, the U.N. climate treaty secretariat also reported that global
greenhouse gas emissions are on the rise, with increased values from 34
industrialized nations between 2000 and 2004. In the United States,
source of two-fifths of the industrialized world's greenhouse gases,
emissions grew by 1.3 percent in that period, and by almost 16 percent
between 1990 and 2004, the U.N. said.