Alex, you've been working with the Greenhouse Gas Bulletin again this year. What do the results look like?
– Concentrations of all major greenhouse gases continue to grow and have reached record highs. There is no sign that emissions are decreasing, which would have slowed the growth trend of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. This could very well be due to increased emissions from natural sources driven by possible climate feedback or a reduced uptake capacity for the same reason.
How do they differ from previous years?
– There are strong indications that 2023, as an El Niño year, once again shows a sharp increase in CO2, continuing into 2024.
How has the media response been this year?
– The story has been covered by major news outlets such as the BBC, The Guardian, and The New York Times, but there seems to be a certain fatigue in repeatedly reporting increasingly grim news about the climate.
Do you think the results will influence the decisions made in Baku?
– Unfortunately, all attention now seems to be focused on financial issues related to repairing the damage from ongoing climate change and compensating the people suffering from it in the Global South. While this is undoubtedly important and the current agreement on compensation is far from sufficient, we must remain aware that we are not yet out of the danger zone. Mitigation should be the top priority, as inaction in this area will cost us much more in the future, especially for the Global South. It’s crucial to closely monitor how the Earth System responds to climate forcing, and this should drive more urgent emission reduction measures, particularly long-term efforts to cut fossil fuel emissions as quickly as possible.
What is currently the most politically significant decision regarding carbon emissions globally?
– As mentioned earlier, this is essentially the "money question." As usual, short-term interests often outweigh considerations for ensuring a safe, long-term future.
Text: Johan Joelsson.
