A hundred and ninety-three countries have unanimously approved the creation a a global greenhouse gas monitoring mechanism, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) announced on May 24th, 2023. The landmark decision happened as GHG concentrations are at record levels – “higher than at any time over the last 800,000 years”, warned WMO.
The new Global Greenhouse Gas Watch will combine observations form Earth and from space with modelling to fill any information gaps. The WMO said that the exchange of data will be “free and unrestricted”, in support of the Paris Agreement on climate change.
According to the Agency, between 1990 and 2021, the warming effect on our climate from the main greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide, increased by nearly 50 per cent.
“But there are still uncertainties, especially regarding the role in the carbon cycle of the ocean, the land biosphere and the permafrost areas,” said WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas.
“We therefore need to undertake greenhouse gas monitoring within an integrated Earth System framework in order to be able to account for natural sources and sinks, both as they currently operate and as they will change as a result of a changing climate. This will provide vital information and support for implementation of the Paris Agreement,” he said.