Near Record Jump in CO2 Emissions This Year Risks Climate Goal
- El Niño partly responsible for forecast CO2 spike: Met Office
- Rise on Keeling Curve tracks higher than Paris deal’s 1.5C cap
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Carbon dioxide emissions are on track for one of the biggest increases on record this year, pushing the planet closer to catastrophic climate change.
That jump is the result human-induced pollution, plus the El Niño weather pattern, which weakens the ability of the world’s natural carbon sinks to absorb CO2, according to a forecast by the UK’s Met Office. The projected increase is beyond the trajectory needed to meet the Paris Climate Agreement’s goal of limiting global warming to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels.