CO2 levels hit new high in 2024, and other climate and nature news

Carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in the atmosphere soared by a record amount to reach a new high in 2024, a report from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has found.

Annual global growth rates of CO2 have tripled since the 1960s and the largest one-year increase, 3.5 parts per million (ppm), was recorded from 2023 to 2024, as the chart below shows.

The report attributed this record rise to CO2 emissions from human activities and a surge in wildfires in 2024, in combination with the reduced capacity of carbon sinks to remove CO2 and regulate our climate.

"We rely on natural systems to help us offset our impacts, and those systems are so stressed that they start reducing their help," said WMO Senior Scientific Officer, Oksana Tarasova.

This compounds the problem further: “The heat trapped by CO2 and other greenhouse gases is turbo-charging our climate and leading to more extreme weather. Reducing emissions is therefore essential not just for our climate but also for our economic security and community well-being,” said WMO Deputy Secretary-General Ko Barrett.

The climate crisis is reshaping global poverty, according to a report from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Globally, 1.1 billion people are living in multidimensional poverty – which spans health, education and living standards.

An estimated 887 million people are directly exposed to at least one climate hazard, 651 million endure two or more, while 309 million live in regions that face three or four climate shocks simultaneously.

The threat is greater in certain regions such as South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa, as they have the largest numbers of poor people living in regions affected by climate hazards, with 380 million and 344 million, respectively.

The report calls for "aligning poverty reduction, climate mitigation and adaptation, and ecosystem restoration to benefit both people and the planet".

Global shipping emissions: A landmark deal to cut global shipping emissions has been abandoned. More than 100 countries had gathered in London to approve a deal first agreed in April, which would have adopted internationally mandated emissions targets. The US administration applied pressure on participating countries to cancel the deal and Saudi Arabia then tabled a motion to adjourn the talks for a year.

Forests in decline: The world lost 8.1 million hectares of forest in 2024, which represents a level of destruction 63% higher than the trajectory needed to halt deforestation by 2030 in line with global goals, the Forest Declaration Assessment 2025 has found. Although restoration efforts are expanding, financial flows are still "grossly misaligned" with forest goals.

In Europe: The EU is planning to offer development funding to countries affected by its carbon border tariff, Reuters reports. The levy, called the carbon border adjustment mechanism, will start imposing fees next year on the CO2 emissions of imported goods, including steel and cement. It has faced criticism from nations that say it penalizes developing economies.

Over in China: The nation has reported economic losses totalling $30.47 billion from natural disasters in the first three quarters of 2025, due to 530,000 hectares of crops being damaged, according to the country’s Ministry of Emergency Management.

While in California: The US state's Governor, Gavin Newsom, has vetoed a law that would have limited the regulatory powers of air quality agencies at the nation's busiest port complex. "It is imperative that we maintain the tools we have and encourage cooperative action at all levels to avoid the worst health and climate impacts," Newsom told a press conference.

In Australia: The country's tropical rainforests have become the first in the world to release more carbon than they absorb. The study found that extreme temperatures are causing more tree deaths than growth in Queensland forests.

Wind farm gets artificial reef upgrade: One of the world's largest artificial reefs has been installed at a wind farm off the coast of England. The project at the Rampion Offshore Wind Farm involves 75,000 specially designed 'reef cubes' placed at the bottom of a single turbine. These cubes have a chamber in the middle and a honeycomb texture on the outside, which should encourage marine life to take up residence.

How much is a bowl of rice? World Food Day last week put the spotlight on this staple, which is facing tough times. Rice is a cash crop for several countries. China is the largest producer, followed by India, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Viet Nam and Thailand. The grain feeds more than 4 billion people daily and in some countries represents 70% of an individual’s daily calorie intake.

As demand rises, here’s how coordinated action across policy, science, agriculture and education can help.

Creating a just and resilient food future: At the World Economic Forum's recent Annual Meetings of the Global Future Councils and Cybersecurity, a panel of experts came together in a session - 'Liberating Food' - to explore the innovations that can break through political and economic divides to shape food access and equity. Watch the full session below.

What are 'industrial clusters'? In this episode of Radio Davos, we learn how diverse sectors can help each other speed up progress in the transition to net zero. Hear from the Port of Antwerp-Bruges in Belgium and the Andalusia Green Hydrogen Valley in Spain, in the episode below.