06-December-2023-Editorial

THE GLOBAL CLIMATE 2011-2020: A DECADE OF ACCELERATION.

The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) recently released a comprehensive report titled. The Global Climate 2011-2020: A Decade of Acceleration. The report highlights the alarming acceleration of climate change and its profound impacts on various aspects of the planet.

Key Highlights of the Report:

Temperature Trends:

• The decade 2011-2020 recorded the highest temperatures on record for both land and ocean.
• Global mean temperature rose to 1.10 ± 0.12 °C above the 1850-1900 average.
• Each decade since the 1990s surpassed the previous ones in terms of warmth.
• 2016 and 2020 were identified as the warmest years, with 2016 influenced by an El Niño event.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions:

• Atmospheric concentrations of major greenhouse gases (GHGs) continued to rise, reaching 413.2 ppm in 2020.
• The increase in average growth rates of CO2 emphasized the urgent need for sustainable emissions reduction.

Oceanic Changes:

• Ocean warming rates accelerated significantly, impacting marine ecosystems.
• Ocean acidification due to CO2 absorption posed challenges for marine organisms.

Marine Heatwaves and Sea Level Rise:

• Marine Heatwaves increased in frequency and intensity, affecting 60% of the ocean’s surface.
• Global mean sea level rise accelerated to 4.5mm/yr from 2011-2020.

Glacier and Ice Sheet Loss:

• Glaciers globally thinned by about 1 meter/year between 2011 and 2020.
• Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets lost 38% more ice compared to 2001-2010.

Arctic Sea Ice Decline:

• Arctic sea ice continued its decline during the summer melt season.

Ozone Hole and Successes:

• The Antarctic ozone hole diminished in the 2011-2020 period due to successful international action under the Montreal Protocol.
• Efforts led to reduced chlorine entering the stratosphere from ozone-depleting substances.

Impact on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

• Extreme weather events hindered progress toward SDGs, affecting food security, human mobility, and socioeconomic development.
• Improved early warning systems reduced casualties, but economic losses from extreme events increased.
• The decade saw no single short-term event with 10,000 deaths or more for the first time since 1950.

WMO’s Recommendations for Mainstreaming Action:

• Enhancing collective resilience through collaboration and cooperation with international organizations.
• Strengthening science-policy-society interaction for synergistic action.
• Promoting institutional capacity-building and cross-sectoral collaboration, especially in the global South.
• Ensuring policy coherence and coordination among policymakers for climate and development synergies.

Conclusion:

The WMO’s report underscores the critical need for immediate and collective action to address the accelerated climate change impacting the globe. The recommendations provide a roadmap for mainstreaming climate and development goals, emphasizing the importance of collaboration, science-policy integration, capacity-building, and policy coherence at various levels. As the world faces unprecedented challenges, a concerted effort is imperative to mitigate the adverse effects and work towards a sustainable and resilient future.