Greenhouse Gas Levels Surge to Record Highs, Locking in Decades of Warming

According to a report released by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) on October 16, 2025, the global average concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere jumped by a record 3.5 parts per million (ppm) from 2023 to 2024, reaching 423.9ppm - the highest level ever recorded. This unprecedented surge was driven by a combination of human-caused emissions, massive wildfires, and a drop in the ability of forests and oceans to absorb carbon dioxide, creating a feedback loop that is accelerating climate change.

The WMO warned that the heat trapped by these greenhouse gases is "turbo-charging our climate and leading to more extreme weather," underscoring the urgent need for emissions reductions to safeguard economic security and community well-being. Methane and nitrous oxide, the second and third most important greenhouse gases linked to human activities, also hit record highs in 2024, further exacerbating the crisis.

Experts fear that as the planet continues to warm, the natural carbon sinks of land and sea will become less effective, causing more CO2 to remain in the atmosphere and driving even faster global warming. The WMO emphasized the critical importance of sustained and strengthened greenhouse gas monitoring to understand these complex feedback loops and inform the necessary actions to address the climate emergency.