Survey Says: Greenhouse Gas Volumes Reached New High in 2011

Survey Says: Greenhouse Gas Volumes Reached New High in 2011

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Atmospheric volumes of greenhouse gases blamed for climate change hit a new record in 2011, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) reported. The volume of carbon dioxide, the primary greenhouse gas emitted by human activities, grew at a similar rate to the previous decade and reached 390.9 parts per million (ppm), 40% above the pre-industrial level, the survey said. It has increased by an average of 2 ppm for the past 10 years.

Fossil fuels are the primary source of about 413.37 billion tons of carbon that has been released into the atmosphere since the industrial era began in 1750, the WMO said. WMO Secretary-General Michel Jarraud said the billions of tonnes of extra carbon dioxide would stay in the atmosphere for centuries, causing the planet to warm further.