Data released overnight by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) in Switzerland is nothing short of staggering. Despite all the talk about climate action, greenhouse gas concentrations surged to new highs last year, setting the stage for levels of warming that are both frightening and uncharted. The WMO reports carbon dioxide levels at 420 ppm, methane at 1,934 ppb, and nitrous oxide at 336.9 ppb for 2023 - that’s up by over 11% in just two decades.
At the same time, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has Tweeted a stark warning: the world is on track for a catastrophic a 3.1°C rise in our children’s lifetimes. The significance? This temperature shift will destabilise ecosystems, trigger extreme weather, cause famines, force mass migrations, and totally reshape societies. Billions of lives are at risk. If 1.5°C seemed daunting, imagine doubling it.
The silence from policymakers and big polluters often feels deafening. As does the continued consumption of fossil fuels by the general public. With records breaking year after year, the question remains: Is anyone awake? Climate agreements have been signed and commitments to “net zero by 20250” made, yet greenhouse gas levels are still escalating, and natural carbon sinks like our forests and oceans which draw down carbon are weakening. We’re in a climate spiral, warming is increasing wildfires, making oceans warmer and reducing their CO₂ absorption capacity - thus keeping more greenhouse gases in our atmosphere.
The window for action is closing fast. As we approach COP29, time is well overdue to demand more than promises. Climate action cannot wait, and neither can our planet.
Call to action
Call Foreign Minister Penny Wong on (08) 8212 8272 and Climate Minister Chris Bowen on (02) 9604 0710 and tell them you expect real and immediate ambition from Australia at COP29 and beyond.
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