For humans around the world, it is serious time to take some active measures as the Carbon Dioxide level in the earth’s atmosphere have broken all the previous records. As per reports by the Mauna Loa Observatory, it was found out that the CO2 has broken the 400 parts-per-million mark.
It is the first time in four million years that carbon dioxide has broken the 400 ppm mark in Antarctica. Also, experts believe that even if right steps are taken it would be near to impossible to bring down the CO2 level again. With the increase in burning of fossils and natural disturbance in the weather, it was already predicted by the scientist that carbon dioxide would break the 400 ppm boundary soon.
One of the reasons that can be pointed to the recent increase in CO2 levels crossing the 400 ppm boundary is the El Nino that hit the Pacific Ocean in 2015. Even though it’s over but the aftereffects of it remains in the environment. Also, regular burning of fossil fuels by the human is the contributing factor to the increase in atmospheric CO2.
In the next 20 years, it is the need of the hour to decrease carbon emission by 40-70% or else the CO2 level will cross the 450 ppm mark. This will mark a very severe threat to climate and humans on the earth. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change of United Nations said that if the level crosses 450 ppm mark, it will not only have a devastating effect on humans but the planet will get warmed by another 2 degrees, and the weather patterns will see an unpredictable shift.
The safe level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is around 350 ppm, but due to increasing in emission over the last 12 months, the CO2 have broken its previous record. Scientists have also predicted that 2016 is going to become the hottest year in the history.
The need of the hour is to curb down rising CO2 level. As Professor Richard Betts at the Met Office said, “The fact remains we have to take some steps at the earliest as once we have passed the 400 ppm mark, it would be a very tiring and long journey for CO2 to be removed by natural processes.”
