Carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere reached the highest levels ever recorded in any calendar month in April, averaging 420 parts per million (ppm) for the first time since observations began in 1958, according to new data released by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. It's a xios news.

As the annual peak typically occurs in May, before the northern hemisphere's hot season, when vegetation absorbs gas, we are likely to have higher numbers this month, according to Pieter Tans, who monitors greenhouse gases from NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

"The world has effectively made no serious progress compared to what is needed," Tans said. "We really need to focus on reducing emissions and we haven't had much success globally because the rate of CO2 increase remains as high as in the last decade."

ans and other researchers told Axios that sustained growth rates year on year in CO2 concentrations are unprecedented. The 400 ppm mark was surpassed less than a decade ago in 2013, and CO2 amounts increased by more than 2 ppm each year.

The report points out that only sharp emissions cuts since this decade can reduce CO2 levels enough to meet the temperature targets set in the Paris Climate Agreement.

In time: An S&P Global report shows the economic risk caused by climate-related events in 135 countries. The goal of the paper was to find out how much a given economy is exposed to climate risk, on a scale of 0% of GDP (indicating that the economy is unlikely to be exposed to climate risks) at 100% of GDP (i.e. the entire economy may be exposed to climate risks). Spoiler: in the case of Brazil, the calculation indicates a loss of 9% of GDP. With this data, Time magazine has created charts showing that economies with enormous climate risk – in some cases 100% exposed – are usually 20 degrees from the equator. Countries with minimal risk, on the other year, are within a wide range of latitudes closer to the poles.

Source: clima info