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Geneva, Sept. 9 (EFE) .- time left to mitigate climate change is shortened because the atmospheric concentration of greenhouse gases, the main cause, continues to rise to unprecedented levels, as confirmed data released today by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
“We are absolutely certain that the climate is changing and that the weather is becoming more extreme time due to human activities such as burning fossil fuels, “said Secretary-General of WMO, Michel Jarraud, introducing the annual bulletin on greenhouse gases.
“We’re not talking about predictions, but proven facts. We have very solid scientific evidence,” he said.
The latest assessment by the organization through a comprehensive program of atmospheric monitoring indicates that the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere reached a new high in 2013.
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is among the three most important ones gases which has increased its concentration , at a pace not seen in almost thirty years.
Preliminary data suggest that this increase is probably due to the reduction of the amount of CO2 absorbed by the biosphere of the Earth, combined with the steady increase their emissions.
The WMO bulletin also indicates that they have not found in the last 300 years prior to the current rate of acidification Oceans .
“Time is not on our side, the more we hope will be more complicated and the concentration (of greenhouse gases) will be higher,” said Jarraud.
Scientists have also confirmed that the -causante phenomenon called radiative forcing of the warming effect of climatological experienced a 34% increase due to greenhouse gas-length, which are methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O), in addition to CO2 .
The concentration of the latter in the atmosphere reached 142% of the level of the pre-industrial era (before 1750), the 253% methane and nitrous oxide 121%.
Approximately one quarter of the total emissions of CO2 are absorbed by oceans and as much for the biosphere, which cushion the increase of CO2 in the atmosphere, although the oceans are paying particular the consequences of this .
“If the warming is not considered sufficient to reduce CO2 emissions reason, ocean acidification should be,” Jarraud said.
Scientists believe acidification of the oceans has complex consequences on marine organisms, especially corals, algae, molluscs and plankton species.
These organisms are affected their ability to build shells, shells or material for their skeletons (through calcification), since their ability to calcification decreases with increasing acidification.
With the problems of calcification, organisms have a lower survival rate, growth and development is affected, the while undergoing changes in their physiological functions and biodiversity decreases.
“We must reverse this trend by reducing emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases as a generalized measure. A concerted international action against accelerating climate change is more urgent than ever, “said Jarraud.
Carbon dioxide remains in the atmosphere for hundreds of years and even more in the ocean, plus their cumulative effect is both warming and acidification of the oceans.
Methane gas is the second most important greenhouse-length, with 40% of emissions from natural sources (wetlands, termites, etc.) and other human activities (farming, rice cultivation, fossil fuel exploitation, landfills, biomass burning).
Third is nitrous oxide, whose emissions are 60% natural (oceans and land) and 40% of anthropogenic (biomass burning, fertilizer use, and industrial processes).
(Reuters)
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