Carbon is Increasing, Methane is Increasing: Planet could Fall in Goblet of Fire if Greenhouse Gasses Keep Increasing

Last June, the global concentration of carbon dioxide, experts say, reached four hundred and twenty-one parts per million (ppm), a rise of fifty percent in pre-industrial times, as well as the greatest over millions of years. According to the most recent figure, the concentration hit around 427.85 ppm of carbon dioxide.

By 2019, the global concentration of methane, experts say, rose to 1909.4 parts per billion (ppb), compared to the figure of 722 ppb in pre-industrial times, the greatest value in 800,000 years. According to figures for January this year, the global concentration rose to 1930.55 ppb.

By 2022, the global emissions of nitrous oxide hit 335.7 ppb, from under 300 ppb fifty years ago and around 280 to 290 ppb in pre-industrial times. According to experts, the 2022 figure represents the largest value in the past 800,000 years.

The situation with carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide, all greenhouse gasses, doesn't stop here, as other gasses in the class show increases, such as nitrogen oxide rising at one to two percent  globally per decade  this century, and black carbon rising in many places and not reducing in others.

In essence, with the concentration of carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide increasing, reaching levels not seen in 800,000 years, and with the concentration of other greenhouse gasses like nitrogen oxide and black carbon rising, fears persist that the planet could plunge into a goblet of fire if the concentration of greenhouse gasses keep increasing.

Fossil fuel leads to rising carbon dioxide emissions, while its subsidies  increased by 7.1 percent in 2022, reflecting a $2 trillion rise since 2020, its consumption grew by around one percent in the same year, rising by 2.9 million barrels per day (bpd) to 97.3 million bpd, its oil production grew by 3.8 million barrels per day, the lion share from Organisation of Oil Producing Countries (OPEC).

Fossil fuel production led to 120 million tonnes of methane emissions last year, with biomass consumption raising methane emission to about 10 million tonnes, human activities generally fuelling methane emissions.

Fossil Fuel production led to 0.3 percent of nitrous oxide emissions, agriculture the culprit through 75 percent of emissions, processes responsible for 15.5 percent, while waste brought a figure of 4.8 percent.

Therefore fossil fuel consumption and production, the persistent use of biomass, and activities in the agricultural sector enable rises in carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide emissions, leading to the abundance of black carbon and nitrogen oxide.

Though carbon dioxide molecules make up only a small percentage of the atmosphere, they account for two-thirds of the global warming brought by human activities, and if global energy demands persist to increase, human emissions of carbon dioxide could hit 75 billion tonnes per year by the end of the century, worsening the issue of climate change.

Though methane brings a short-lasting effect compared to carbon dioxide, it still accounts for about 30 percent of today's global warming from anthropogenic activities, and if conditions continue at the present rate, climate change could accelerate, since methane could increase by 30 percent between 2015 and 2050.

Though nitrous oxide occupies the third position as a contributor among greenhouse gasses to human-induced global warming, it still accounts for a share, with average emissions set to rise by 83 percent by 2050 if humans carry on as usual, 26 percent if moderate measures take place.

Things look bad on the global warming front, because if carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide continue to show increases in levels of emissions, other greenhouse gasses such as black carbon and nitrogen oxide could also show increases, worsening the climate crisis.

The solution to the problem exists, a rapid carbon dioxide emissions reduction, so the world gets the opportunity to lock in 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming before 2030, as well as a cut down in methane emissions below 2020 levels of 220 million tonnes of annual emissions from present-day levels of 380 million tonnes, as well as a slash in nitrous oxide emissions, so the problems caused by nitrogen oxide and black carbon recede in the future.

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Vegan food from Iran, Credit, Iranian Culinary Experience