opinionGENEVA, AFP -The concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere averaged a record 400 parts per million in 2015, an ominous milestone for the planet's health, the UN said Monday. El Nino “triggered droughts in tropical regions and reduced the capacity of 'sinks' like forests, vegetation and the oceans to absorb CO2,” WMO said. But the head of the Geneva-based agency, Petteri Taalas, warned against complacency just because El Nino has subsided for now. The WMO's annual Greenhouse Gas Bulletin tracks concentrations of gasses in the atmosphere, rather than emissions. Aside from CO2, the report monitors concentration rates of methane, nitrous oxide and several other gases with a major impact on climate change.

Source: Sunday Times October 24, 2016 10:18 UTC