WMO GLOBAL CLIMATE REPORT 2022-INDICATORS

1.     GREENHOUSE GASES: These are a major driver of climate change. These gas emissions continued to increase in 2022. The big 3 Greenhouse gases are

 

a. Carbon Dioxide air concentration 415.7 PPM =149% of pre-industrial level.

b. Methane  air concentration 1908 PPB = 262% of pre-industrial level.

Methane traps 25 times more heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide. The Methane increase figures for 2022 are unavailable, but in 2021 it went up by 18 PPB, the highest increase ever. That is almost a 1% hike in a single year. 

Methane emissions come from both humans and natural sources. Of the natural sources, the wetlands are one of the biggest contributors.

c. Nitrous Oxide air concentration 334.5 PPB = 124% of pre-industrial level 

2.     GLOBAL SURFACE MEAN TEMPERATURE: In 2022 the planet was warmer by 1.15 degrees than the pre-industrial (1850-1900) average. The last 8 years are the warmest on re  cord.

       Despite the cooling on account of La Nina conditions, 2022 was the 5^th or 6^th warmest on record.

3.     PRECIPITATION: In 2022, large areas with above-normal precipitation included large parts of Asia, the West Pacific, North & South America, the Caribbean, the Eastern Sahel region, South Africa, Sudan, and Eastern Europe. 

Deficit precipitation occurred in Western & Central Europe, Northwest Africa, parts of the Middle East, Central Asia, Himalayas, Eastern Africa, Madagascar, Central & South America, Central & western North America. 

4.     OCEAN HEAT CONTENT: Around 90% of the excess energy that accumulates in the earth system due to increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases goes into the ocean. Ocean heat content measures how this energy warms the ocean at various depths down to 2000 Mtrs deep. It is accepted that the ocean will continue to warm well into the future, which is irreversible. The ocean continued to warm in 2022. 

Corals are vital for creating ecosystems in the oceans, serve as food for many creatures, protect the coastlines from erosion and storms, and can also be key tourist attractions. They are affected by the warming of the ocean. 

As water warms, it also expands and rising ocean temperatures are a key contributor to rising sea levels around the globe. 

5.     SEA LEVEL RISE: The global sea level is rising for a number of reasons. Ocean warming, melting ice sheets & glaciers all contribute to overall rise. The sea has risen about 3.4 mm per year over the past 30 years. That means a total of about 10 centimeters during the period.

6. OCEAN ACIDIFICATION: The ocean absorbs around 25% of the CO@ emission into the atmosphere which would decrease the quantity of CO2 in the atmosphere and helps in reducing the quantum of the greenhouse effect. However, this would be at the cost of high ecological cost to the ocean. 

CO2 reacts with water and increases its acidity which endangers organisms, fish, and other marine animals. It also affects the coastal protection offered by Coral reefs by weakening them.  As the acidity of the ocean increases, its capacity to absorb CO2 from the atmosphere declines. The global ocean acidity is increasing at a faster pace now than it did in the last 26000 years. 

7. SEA ICE EXTENT: Changes in global temperature also affect bodies of ice both on land and at sea. The ice extent of the Arctic sea was below the long-term average in most months of the year 2022. The September extent was 0.71 million Sq Km. below the long-term average. 

The Antarctic sea ice extent dropped to the lowest level on record on Feb 22 , it was down by 1 million sq. Km below the long-term (1991-2020) average. 

The Greenland ice sheet ended with a negative mass balance for the 26^th year in a row. 

Glaciers are found all over the world in high mountain ranges. They are formed from snow that had compacted into ice, which then flows downhill to lower warmer altitudes where it melts. 

As glaciers shrink there is a significant and direct impact on global climate. 40 important glaciers are monitored by the Glacier Monitoring Service to estimate the glacier mass balance. Since 1950, the glaciers are continually losing mass each year. In the year 2022 Glaciers lost 1.2% of their thickness. This is named as mass water equivalent. 

Shockingly the glaciers in the Swiss alps have shrunk by 6.2% in the year 2022 alone. 

Rising global temperatures have contributed to more frequent and severe extreme weather events around the world, including heat and cold waves, floods, droughts, wildfires and storms.

మానవ జాతి ఆవిర్భావం.

 

మానవ జాతి ఈనాడు  ప్రపంచంలో ఉన్న జంతు జాతులను అన్నిటినీ శాసిస్తుంది కానీ ఒకనాడు అది అనేక జాతులలో ఒకటి మాత్రమే. మరి మానవ జాతి ఆలా ముందుకు పోయి మిగిలిన జాతులను ఎలా వెనక వదిలేయగలిగింది? దానికి కారణం మనిషి కి ఉన్న మేధాశక్తి, కానీ జంతువులూ మానవులు ఒకే విధంగా పుట్టినవారు అయితే మరి మేధాశక్తి కేవలం మనిషికే ఎందుకు ఉండాలి? దానికి మన దగ్గర జవాబు లేదు. భగవంతుడు తన ప్రతిరూపంలో మనిషిని సృష్టించాడు అని నమ్మేవారికి అయితే భగవంతుడే మనిషికి విశిష్ట లక్షణాలు ఇచ్చాడు అనుకోవడానికి ఊతం దొరుకుతుంది.  మరి మిగిలినవారికి? అసలు మానవుడి పుట్టు పూర్వోత్తరాలు ఏమిటి?  

మనలో అందరికి జీవులు వర్గీకరణ గురించి తెలుసును, కానీ కొంతమందికి తెలియకపోవడానికి chance  ఉంది కాబట్టి వారికోసం క్లుప్తంగా రాస్తున్నాను. జీవరాశిలో ఇంత వైవిధ్యం ఉంది. వాటిని అన్నిటిని కొన్ని సాధారణ లక్షణాల ప్రకారం విభజించవచ్చును అని స్వీడిష్ శాస్త్రవేత్త ఆయన Carolus Von  Linnaeus కు ఒక భావం కలిగింది. అయన అప్పటి జంతు జాతులను అన్నిటిని వర్గీకరించాడు. ముందుగా జీవజాతిని జంతు ప్రపంచంగా, వృక్ష ప్రపంచంగా విభజించాడు. వాటిని ముందుగా phylum ,  class , order , family , tribe, genus  మరియు species  గ విభజించాడు.

ఒక phylum  లో ఉన్న జాతులలో ఎక్కువ వైవిధ్యం ఉంటె మళ్ళీ దాన్ని sub  phylum ,ఇంకా ఎక్కువ ఉంటె infra  phylum ఆలా విభజించుకుంటూ పోయాడు. చివరికి ఒక జీవిని దాని Genus  మరియు Species నామంతో పిలిచాడు. 

ఇదంతా ఎందుకు చెప్పాల్సివచ్చింది అంటే భూమి మీద మొదటిగా అనేక రసాయన సంయోగాల వలన  ఒక ఏక కణ జీవి జన్మించింది, తరువాత  క్రమంగా కొన్ని కణాలు కలసి సరళమైన జీవులుగా ఏర్పడ్డాయి. ఆ జీవులనుండి ఇంకా సంక్లిష్ట జీవులు ఏర్పడుతూ పోయాయి. అంటే భూమి మీద ఉన్న సర్వ జీవరాసులు ఆ మొదటి జన్మించిన కణం నుండి రూపొందినవే. తరువాత వృక్ష మరియు జంతు రాజ్యాలనుండి వచ్చినవే. 

అంటే వీటి అన్నిటికి మూలం ఒకటే. అప్పటినుండి కాలం  గడిచే కొద్దీ లక్షణాలు వేరు కావటం వలన  నేను పైన చెప్పిన Phylum, క్లాస్, ఆర్డర్, ఫామిలీ,tribe, జీనస్ మరియు చివరికి స్పీసీస్ ఏర్పడ్డాయి.ఈ వర్గీకరణ లో ముందు వచ్చే భాగాలు అన్ని ముందు కాలం లో ఏర్పడినవి. అంటే Species  కంటే ముందు Genusదానికంటే ముందు Familyదానికంటే ముందు Order  ఈ విధంగా ఏర్పడ్డాయిఈ వర్గీకరణ ప్రకారం మనిషి పేరు Homo  Sapiens. మన జీనస్ Homo, మన స్పీసీస్ Sapiens.

మన జీనస్ Homo  25  లక్షల సంవత్సరాల క్రితం ఆఫ్రికా ఖండం లో Australopithecus  అనే జీవితో ప్రారంభం అయ్యింది. అప్పటికి అది చింపాంజీ తో కలసి ఉన్న Tribe  ఆయన Hominini  నుండి వేరు పడింది.

దాని నుండి తరువాత 20  లక్షల సంవత్సరాల క్రితం Homo  Erectus  రూపొందింది. అది మన జీనస్ కు చెందినది అయినా వాటి స్పీసీస్ వేరు. దానికి మనలాంటి నడక, మరియు శరీర ప్రమాణం ఉండేవి. అది హోమో జీనస్ లో చప్టా అయిన మొహం మరియు ముందుకు వచ్చిన ముక్కు కలిగిన మొదటి జాతి. మొదట రెండు కాళ్ళ మీద నడిచిన జంతువు కూడా  అదే.      

ఇక్కడ ఒక విషయం చెప్పాలి. చూడటానికి దాదాపు ఒకే విధంగా ఉన్నా స్పీసీస్ వేరు వేరు అని ఎలా చెప్పగలము. దానికి ఒక కొలమానం రెండు అడ మగ జంతువులు సంయోగం చెందినపుడు వాటికి సంతానం కలిగితే అవి రెండు ఒకే Species  కి చెందినవి. ఉదారణకు ఇండియన్ ఏనుగులు, ఆఫ్రికన్ ఏనుగులు భిన్న జాతులకు చెందినవి. రెండూ ఏనుగులే, కానీ అవి రెండు సంయోగం చెందితే వాటికి సంతానం కలగదు.    

ఈ Homo  Erectus   నుండి అనేక జాతులు ఆవిర్భవించాయి. అవి అన్ని నశించిపోయి చివరికి మన స్పీసీస్ యొక్క తాతగారు, మరియు Neanderthal  మనిషి మిగిలారు. మన స్పీసీస్ అయిన Homo  Sapiens  కేవలం 3 లక్షల సంవత్సరాల క్రితం ఆవిర్భవించింది. అప్పటికి Neanderthal  మానవుడు ఇంకా జీవించి ఉన్నాడు. చివరికి 110000  సంవత్సరాల క్రితం  నియాండర్తల్ మానవుడు కూడా నశించి కేవలం మన జాతి మాత్రమే మిగిలింది. ఇప్పుడు హోమో అనబడే జీనస్ లో మన ఒక్కరి జాతి మాత్రమే మిగిలి ఉంది.

PhylumChordata  తో 54  కోట్ల సంవత్సరాల క్రితం మొదలైన మానవ వికాసం చివరికి మనతో పరిపూర్ణం అయ్యింది. జీవ రాసి ఆవిర్భావ సమయంతో పోలిస్తే మనిషి కేవలం నిన్ననే జన్మించాడు. అలాంటిది కేవలం 3  లక్షల సంవత్సరాల లో సర్వ జీవరాసు లను ఏలుతూ నశింపచేస్తున్నాడు. ఈ కాలంలో మనిషి విజ్ఞానం సమయంతో అపారంగా పెరిగిపోతున్నది. చివరికి దాని పర్వయసానం ఏమిటో మనకు తెలియదు. మనిషి తనను ఆవరించి వున్న ప్రకృతిని స్వాధీనలోనికి తెచ్చుకుని ఆనందంగా సుఖ శాంతులతో జీవిస్తాడా లేక అధిక విజ్ఞానంతో నశించిపోతాడా?

GREENHOUSE GASES AND THEIR EFFECT ON EARTHS CLIMATE.

 Greenhouse gases like Carbon Dioxide absorb the Sun's heat that radiates from the Earth’s surface and prevent it from escaping it into space. This is to an extent good for mankind because without the presence of Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, the temperature on the Earth would have been below the freezing point making it impossible for humans and most other species to evolve and survive.

Many greenhouse gases occur naturally in the atmosphere, but human activity too contributes to their accumulation.

Naturally occurring Greenhouse

 gases are Carbon Dioxide, Methane (CH4), and Nitrous Oxide (N2O). Humans also contribute to the accumulation of these gases as well. .

Fluorinated gases (F-Gases) are manmade gases used in the industry and they have a high global warming potential that is thousands of times more than Carbon Dioxide.  They include Hydrofluorocarbons (HFC), Perfluorocarbons (PFC), Sulphur Hexafluoride (SF6) and Nitrogenfluoride (NF3). They are used as refrigerants, solvents and in manufacturing.

As you can see from the above chart, since the pre-industrial period, the average temperature of the earth has gone up by 1 degree Celsius between the years 1880 and 2020. Primarily fossil fuel burning is the main cause of this increase.

Direct measurements of Carbon Dioxide since the year 1958 indicate that its concentration in the atmosphere has increased from 317 PPM (parts per million) in 1958 to 424 PPM in 2024 Feb. That is a 34% increase in 66 years or about 0.5% average increase every year. This increase seems to have accelerated now because the year 2023 saw an increase of 1.1% compared to 2022.

The amount of Carbon dioxide emitted by burning fossil fuels in the year 2021 is an astounding 36 billion or 3600 crore tons. However, the good news is this quantity is lower by 22% compared to the year 2008.

China, the USA and India together consume about 54% of the World’s total consumption of fossil fuels.  In the year 2022 over 80% of the primary energy consumption and 60% of its electricity came from fossil fuels.

Global warming contributes to climate change which adversely affects the Earths life. The year 2023 had been the warmest year on record with the temperature being 1.18 degree above the 20^th century average. The 10 years between the years 2014-2023 are also the warmest on record. Temperature recording began in the year 1895, so we have the temperature records for the past 129 years now.    

The average temperature of the Earth is 15 degrees Celsius. However, one has to remember that the coldest place on the earth and the hottest place on the earth on an average have a differential of 55 degrees centigrade, so the average temperature does not tell you much.

The coldest temperature ever recorded on the earth was -89.2 degrees C recorded  in 1983 at Vostok station in Antarctica. The coldest inhabited town is Oymyakon  a small village in Siberia where temperature dips to -71 degrees. The hottest temperature recognized in the world was recorded at Death Valley California in 1913 which was 56.7 degrees.  

During the last 43 years temperature of the Earth has risen by 0.20 degrees per decade. A rise of a few degrees may not look like much but during the last ice age North America was covered with more than 3000 feet of ice when the average temperature was cooler by only 5 to 9 degrees compared to today.            

As the global temperature becomes warmer, there would be extreme changes in weather patterns. One of the most dramatic effects of global warming is the reduction in Arctic sea ice and also the reduction of glacial ice.

As the ice melts, the sea levels rise. The pace of sea level rise doubled from 2.1 mm per year between the years 1993 to 2002 to 4.4 mm between 2013 and 2021.. Melting Polar ice in the Arctic and Antarctic regions and also melting ice sheets and glaciers across the world. Global sea level has risen by about 8 inches since the year 1870. The increase is expected to accelerate in the coming years. If the Greenhouse emissions remain unchecked these levels is likely to rise 3 feet by the year 2100.

Carbon Dioxide also has another effect on the climate. The oceans absorb some of the Carbon Dioxide which increases the acidity of sea water. When CO2 is dissolved in sea water it becomes carbonic acid. Since the Industrial Revolution began in the early 1700’s the acidity of the ocean has gone up by 25%.

So, the net effect of Greenhouse gases is, that they increase global warming thereby changing climatic patterns, resulting in a rise in the sea level by melting glaciers and carry out acidification of the sea waters. Despite these warning bells, the problem has not got out of hand as organizations like the Greenpeace suggest. They over-exaggerate climatic changes and the biggest silver lining against such doomsday arguments is that carbon emissions have actually decreased by about 22% between the years 2008 and 2021. Actually realizing the seriousness of the problem is half the problem solved. Countries are consciously taking care of their carbon emissions now and the emissions are bound to come down with time alleviating the problem.  

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