adminWorld Meteorological Organisation report said the amount of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere rose to record levels in 2011, as the World Bank released another report that warned the earth was squarely on course for an unsustainable warming of 4 degrees Celsius, or worse by 2100.
In another study, the Emissions Gap Report, usually released just days before the COP meetings, the UN Environment Programme called for stronger climate action that keeps temperatures at acceptable levels after reporting that Greenhouse Gas Emissions were 14 percent higher than the desirable level for 2020.
Greenhouse gases have a warming effect on the earth’s surface. Now that appears too heavy for a world that’s been talking every year to curb emissions growth, and even committing legally to ascertain similar targets are achieved. However, the irony is astonishing, even shocking that since talks began 20 years ago resulting in the signing of the legally binding Kyoto Protocol in 1997, emissions have headed only one way, and that is up. The WMO announced in its Greenhouse Gas Bulletin that atmospheric concentrations of global warming-causing gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2) rose 30 percent in the 21 years to 2011. It said since the start of the industrial revolution in the 18th century, over 375 billion tonnes of carbon have been dumped into the atmosphere as CO2, primarily from fuel combustion. About half of this carbon dioxide remains in the air, while the rest is absorbed by oceans and the terrestrial biosphere-that part of the earth, which is able to support life.
“These billions of tonnes of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere will remain there for centuries, causing the planet to warm further and impacting on all aspects of life on earth,” said WMO’s secretary general Michael Jarraud.
“Further emissions will only compound the situation.”
The Bulletin reports on atmospheric concentrations, and not emissions of greenhouse gases.
Emissions represent what goes into the atmosphere. Concentrations are what remain in the atmosphere after the complex system of interactions involving the atmosphere, biosphere and the oceans. The agency noted that carbon dioxide is the single most greenhouse gas emitted by human activity, and is responsible for 85 percent of all the earth’s warming over the past decade.
Africa hopes to beat double standards at Doha
Greenhouse emissions will top the agenda when the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’s Conference of the Parties’ talks open in the Qatari capital, Doha this week. Those that signed the Kyoto Protocol and took on legal commitments to reduce emissions effectively are expected to uphold their commitments, and take further cuts, if the Protocol is extended for another 5 years.
It’s just under 40 very developed countries bound by that commitment plus other nations fast transforming into industrialised economies, which are targeted for deep emission reductions. Kyoto consists of almost 200 signatories.
However, the Greenhouse Gas Bulletin exposes the West’s hypocrisy and its double standards. It may have not stated in black and white that highly industrialised nations are responsible for increased CO2 emissions and therefore, concentrations but several studies have established that historical and present carbon emissions are mostly the work of the West.
While on the global platform appearing to show commitment for curbing emissions, in the underground Europe, China, Japan, Russia and the rest of their developed accomplices are busy suffocating the skies with dirt. The USA is worse: it refuses to bound by anyone, and not even by the UN to legally commit to any action that cuts its huge carbon footprint. The problem is not that the West is not committed to limiting emissions; it is that they are not doing enough.
Now if Africa (producing less than 5 percent of global GHG) was confused about the sincerity of its global partners in the war against climate change, the latest GHG statistics should be able to open its eyes to realities of the behind the scenes shenanigans at world climate negotiations.
It is becoming increasingly evident the developed countries are not keen on deep emissions cuts, at least as defined by Kyoto or to levels that science regard as safe. Safe here is relative. For impoverished Africa, climate change continues to leave trails of hunger and death, even the world’s safe limits may not be safe at all for 80 percent of the continent’s one billion people.
Last year, several thousands of people died of famine in the Horn of Africa, several millions more were left mul-nourished and hungry, as a result of a devasting drought. In 2012, some 10 million people were seen going hungry in West Africa’s sahel region due to recurrent droughts. All these occurrences are tied to changing climatic conditions.
Developed countries have even said it openly that they are opposed to major cuts. Assuming Kyoto is extended for a second period beyond 2013, the European Union Commission recently told its EU parliament it will keep its already inadequate emission cuts at 20 percent through to 2020. Several other key polluters like New Zealand are aiming for similar measures. Already, about 11 percent of all the greenhouse gases emitted worldwide each year come from within the European Union, and more than 50 percent from China and the USA alone. Yet, Africa in its consensus paper to Durban, which is still standing for Doha demanded that developed countries reduced emissions by up to 40 percent by 2020 and by over 90 percent by 2050. That demand may remain what it is, a demand not met by corresponding desirable action from those of whom action is demanded.
God is faithful.
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