The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) has recently published a concerning report – The Global Climate 2011-2020: A Decade of Acceleration. This report outlines the disturbing acceleration of climate change and the numerous impacts it has had all across our planet.
Key Highlights of the Report
One of the significant findings in the report includes temperature trends, which reveals that the decade spanning 2011 to 2020 became the warmest on record for both land and ocean temperatures. In specific terms, the global mean temperature rose to 1.10 ± 0.12 °C above the average recorded between 1850-1900. It also noted that each decade since the 1990s has been consecutively warmer than the one before.
The greenhouse gas emissions are another area of worry as stated in the report. Atmospheric concentrations of major greenhouse gases, particularly CO2, escalated, hitting 413.2 ppm in 2020. This rise is attributed mainly to fossil fuel combustion and land-use changes.
Changes in the Oceanic Environment
Ocean warming rates also saw a significant increase, with 90% of amassed heat being stored in the oceans. Additionally, ocean acidification due to CO2 absorption has created hurdles for marine organisms, disrupting their shell and skeleton formation.
Marine heatwaves have seen a rise in both frequency and intensity, affecting almost 60% of ocean surfaces between 2011 and 2020.
Rising Sea Levels and Ice Loss
Global mean sea level rise sped up to 4.5mm/year from 2011-2020, primarily because of ocean warming and ice mass loss.
Glaciers worldwide thinned by around 1 meter/year in the same period resulting in unprecedented mass loss which, in turn, impacts water supplies. The Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets lost 38% more ice than they did from 2001-2010, significantly contributing to rising sea levels.
Ozone Hole and Successful Interventions
The Antarctic ozone hole lessened in the period between 2011-2020, thanks to successful global action under the Montreal Protocol. It reduced the amount of chlorine entering the stratosphere from substances that deplete the ozone.
Impacts on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Extreme weather events have delayed progress towards reaching SDGs as they adversely impact food security, human mobility, and socioeconomic development. Early warning systems have helped reduce casualties, but economic losses from extreme events have increased.
Recommendations for Climate Action and Development Goals
WMO recommends enhancing collective resilience against current and future global crises through collaboration with international organizations and their partners. Further recommendations include strengthening the interaction between science, policy, and society to advance synergistic action and promoting institutional capacity-building at all levels.
World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) Information
WMO is an intergovernmental organization composed of 192 Member States and Territories, including India. Established by the ratification of the WMO Convention on 23rd March 1950, WMO became the specialized agency of the United Nations for meteorology, operational hydrology, and related geophysical sciences. The headquarters is based in Geneva, Switzerland.
Last Modified: February 22, 2024