GLOBAL CLIMATE REPORT
1. Context
The world’s glaciers melted at dramatic speed last year, with global sea levels rising at double the pace they did two decades ago, a UN climate report said on Friday, ahead of Earth Day.
The report released on Friday shows that record levels of heat-trapping by greenhouse gases is causing large-scale changes to the land, ocean, and the atmosphere.
2. Key takeaways
The WMO State of the Global Climate report 2022 focuses on key climate indicators- greenhouse gases, temperatures, sea level rise, ocean heat and acidification, sea ice and glaciers
It also highlights the impacts of climate change and extreme weather:
1.Drought, floods and heatwaves affect large parts of the world and the costs are rising
2.Global mean temperatures for the past 8 years have been the highest on record
3.Sea level and ocean heat are at record levels – and this trend will continue for many centuries
4.Antarctic sea ice falls to lowest extent on record
5.Europe shatters records for glacier melt
- The report said the years between 2015-2022 were the warmest on record. The heatwave which struck Europe last summer caused more than 15,000 deaths
- The melting rate of some European glaciers was also “off the charts,” according to the report, with some glaciers losing up to 1.3 meters (4.3 feet) of average thickness between October 2021 and October 2022
- This is due to the high level of greenhouse gases which have already been emitted, causing water to continue to rise for “thousands of years.”
3. High Temperatures
- The La Nina cooling weather phenomenon failed to ease the temperature hikes, with the past eight years considered the highest mean temperatures on record
- In 2021, greenhouse gas concentrations peaked. Carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration was at 415.7 parts per million globally, which is 149 per cent of the pre-industrial level. Methane meanwhile stood at 262 per cent and nitrous oxide at 124 per cent. 2022 data suggested they continued to increase
- Oceans were meanwhile the warmest on record. Some 58 per cent of ocean surfaces experienced a marine heatwave
- Around 90 per cent of the energy trapped in the climate system by greenhouse gases goes into the ocean, somewhat ameliorating even higher temperature increases but posing risks to marine ecosystems
- The good news would be that we would be able to phase out this negative trend and even reach the 1.5 degrees (Celsius) limit
- We have the tools, the knowledge, and the solutions. But we must pick up the pace. We need accelerated climate action with deeper, faster emissions cuts to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius
- We also need massively scaled-up investments in adaptation and resilience, particularly for the most vulnerable countries and communities who have done the least to cause the crisis
4. About Earth Day
- Every year, April 22 is celebrated as Earth Day, an annual event where people take time out to demonstrate their support for protecting the planet and its environment
- For 2023, the theme for Earth Day is “Invest in our planet,” calling for people and businesses to work together towards building a healthy economy for the planet
- According to EarthDay.org, which coordinates Earth Day events globally, the theme for the 2023 Earth Day calls on humanity to build a healthier economy while also making sure we work towards a more equitable future for everyone
- For this to happen, businesses, inventors, investors, and financial markets should lead the way by encouraging green innovation and practices. The private sector holds incredible power that can be wielded to bring about significant large-scale changes
- The first Earth day was celebrated more than 50 years ago on April 22, 1970
- In a 1969 UNESCO conference, peace activist John McConnell proposed a day to honour the Earth and the concept of peace.
- The organisation selected March 21 next year to celebrate this day, planning for it to coincide with the vernal equinox, which marked the first day of spring
- A large number of the team working with the senator and Hayes were college students, and April 22 in 1970 fell on a Wednesday, which was the middle of the week, meaning that most college students would be on campus
- The event was a wild success with more than 20 million Americans participating, according to some estimates
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For Prelims: Global Climate Report, World Meteorological Organisation, Greenhouse Gas
For Mains: 1. Discuss the Socio-Economic impact of Climate Change in India. (250 Words)
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Previous Year Questions:
1.“Momentum for Change: Climate Neutral Now” is an initiative launched by (UPSC 2018)
(a) The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Answer (c)
2.Which one of the following is not related to the United Nations? (UPSC 2010)
(a) Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency Answer (d)
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Source: indianexpress
