Carbon Dioxide Concentration Hits Record High Last Year... Largest Annual Increase Ever Recorded

The Main Reason Is "Continued Anthropogenic Emissions"

Last year, the global concentration of carbon dioxide reached a record high, with the annual increase marking the largest ever recorded.

Annual Global Carbon Dioxide Increase. Provided by the Korea Meteorological Administration

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) announced in a press release on October 16 that last year’s carbon dioxide concentration reached 423.9 ppm, which is 52% higher than pre-industrial levels in 1750.

The WMO noted that the annual increase in carbon dioxide concentration between 2023 and 2024 was 3.5 ppm, the highest on record. The main reasons cited were a decrease in absorption by land and oceans, an increase in emissions due to wildfires, and continued anthropogenic emissions.

The concentration of methane stood at 1,942 ppb, which was lower than the average annual increase over the past decade (10.6 ppb). The concentration of nitrous oxide was 338.0 ppb, also lower than the average annual increase over the past ten years (1.07 ppb).

Last year, the carbon dioxide concentration in South Korea reached a record high of 430.7 ppm at Anmyeondo. This represents an increase of 3.1 ppm compared to 2023, making it the second-largest annual increase in the past decade.