CO2 levels hit 800,000-year high: What it means for us
19 Mar 2025

Atmospheric carbon dioxide levels hit a record high of 420 parts per million (ppm) in 2023, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has revealed in a report.

The figure, which is an increase of 2.3 ppm from 2022 and a staggering 151% of pre-industrial levels, translates to roughly 3.276 trillion tons of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Past decade marked by extreme global warming
Climate crisis

The WMO's report highlights that the last decade (2015-2024) has been the hottest on record, with every last eight years setting new records for ocean heat content.

The oceans have absorbed roughly 90% of the extra heat trapped by greenhouse gases, resulting in rising sea levels and negative impacts on marine life and weather patterns.

In fact, global mean sea level in 2024 was observed to be at its highest since satellite records began in 1993.

Rising sea levels and glacier loss
Environmental impact

The WMO noted that the rate of sea level rise from 2015-2024 was twice that of 1993-2002, increasing from 2.1mm/year to 4.7mm/year.

The period between 2022 and 2024 also recorded the most negative three-year glacier mass balance, with seven out of 10 worst years for glacier loss since 1950 occurring after 2016.

These changes highlight the severe impact of climate change on our planet's ecosystems, according to the report.

WMO: 2024 was hottest year on record
Global warming

Earlier this year, the WMO confirmed that 2024 was the hottest year on record and the first with a global average temperature 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

"While a single year above 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming does not indicate that the long-term temperature goals of the Paris Agreement are out of reach, it is a wake-up call that we are increasing the risks to our lives, economies and to the planet," said WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo.

Record temperatures driven by greenhouse gas emissions
Climate change

The record global temperatures observed in 2023 and again in 2024, were largely due to increasing greenhouse gas emissions and the El Niño event.

This periodic warming of the ocean surface takes place every two to seven years and typically lasts nine to 12 months.

It is associated with increased rainfall in the Horn of Africa and southern US, while causing unusually dry conditions in Southeast Asia, Australia, and southern Africa.