According to a recent report released by World Meteorological Organization

(WMO) in its annual Greenhouse Gas Bulletin the climate damaging greenhouse
gases in the atmosphere reached a new record high in 2013, and the concentration of
carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increased at the fastest rate ever within last 30years.
On 23rd September world leaders are going to meet at a mega summit in New York to deal
with the problem of climate change and release of this report may create a sense of urgency
for the world leaders to discuss ways and means to arrive at a global climate deal in Paris
next year.
The WMOs Greenhouse Gas bulletin reports annually the atmospheric concentration of
long-lived greenhouse gases i.e. carbon dioxide (CO2), methane(CH4), and nitrous oxide
(N2O), it also gives the summary of the concentration of the other greenhouse gases such
as sulphur hexafluoride (SF6), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and perfluorocarbons (PFCs).

Concentration of Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere

Some important points of Greenhouse Gas Bulletin 2013:
 In 2013, concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere was 142% of the pre-industrial era (1750),
and of methane and nitrous oxide 253% and 121% respectively.
Pre-industrial concentration are assumed as 278 ppm for CO2, 722 ppb for CH4 and 270
ppb for N2O.
Carbon dioxide (CO2):
According to the report CO2 concentration in the atmosphere increased at a higher rate
between 2012 and 2013 than during any other year since 1984.
The amount of CO2 in the atmosphere reached 396.0 parts per million (ppm) in 2013. The
atmospheric increase of CO2 from 2012 to 2013 was 2.9 parts per million, which is the
largest annual increase for the period 1984-2013.
In 2012 the concentration CO2 was 393 ppm. The atmospheric increase of CO2 from 2011 to
2012 was 2.2 parts per million.
If the CO2 concentration in the atmosphere increases at the current rate then by 2015 or
2016 it will cross the symbolic 400 parts per million threshold.
Concentrations of CO2 are subject to seasonal and regional fluctuations. The increased CO2
concentration in the atmosphere may be due to reduced CO2 uptake by the earths biosphere
in addition to the steadily increasing CO2 emission.
Methane (CH4):
Atmospheric methane reached a new high of about 1824 parts per billion (ppb) in 2013, due
to increased emissions from anthropogenic sources.
The atmospheric increase of CH4 from 2012 to 2013 was 6 parts per billion.
In 2012 the concentration CH4 was 1819 ppb. The atmospheric increase of CH4 from 2011 to
2012 was 6 parts per billion.
Increase in CH4 levels is due to increased emissions from anthropogenic sources.
Nitrous Oxide (N2O):
The amount of N2O in the atmosphere was about 325.9 parts per billion (ppb) in 2013. The
atmospheric increase of CO2 from 2012 to 2013 was 0.8 parts per billion.
In 2012 the concentration NO2 was 325 ppb. The atmospheric increase of NO2 from 2011 to
2012 was 0.9 parts per billion.
Its impact on climate, over a 100-year period, is 298 times greater than equal emissions of
carbon dioxide.
It also plays an important role in the destruction of the stratospheric ozone layer which
protects us from the harmful ultraviolet rays of the sun.
 Greenhouse Gas Bulletin

2013
Greenhouse Gas Bulletin 2012
What is Ocean Acidification?
In the natural carbon cylcle, atmospheric CO2 is normally absorbed by 2 major sinks plants
which absorb CO2 during the process of photosynthesis and the oceans.
Oceans are an important reservoir for CO2, they absorb about one fourth of atmospheric CO2
produced by anthropogenic activities and effectively reduce the concentration of CO2 present
in the atmosphere.
Ocean acidification is the ongoing decrease in the pH of the Earths oceans, caused by the
taking up of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere.
The primary source of Co2 is combustion of fossil fuels like coals, oil, petroleum etc. The
secondary source is the oxidation of carbon compounds in marshes and forests by natural
degradation.Manufacturing of Cement also adds up CO2 to the atmosphere.
 As the uptake of atmospheric CO2 by the oceans increases, the concentration of H+ions in the
ocean increases, the concentration of carbonate ions decreases, the pH of the ocean decreases
and the ocean become more alkaline- this process is known as Ocean Acidification.
When carbon dioxide enters the ocean, it combines with seawater to produce carbonic acid,
which increases the acidity of the water, lowering its pH.
This carbonic acid dissociates to form Hydrogen ions and bicarbonate ions. These Hydrogen
ions thus formed react with carbonate ions (CO32-) in the ocean to form bicarbonate ions
(HCO3-).
These carbonate ions are essential for the calcification process that allows certain marine
organisms to build their calcium carbonate shells and skeletons (e.g. hard tropical corals,
cold water corals, certain types of plankton, lobsters etc).
Due to increase in Co2 levels more carbonate ions are taken up and the carbonate ions
available for the calcification process reduce substantially. Thus the process of calcification
becomes harder or is prevented altogether.

Reactions in the Ocean Acidification:

1) CO2 (dissolves in the ocean) + H2O (ocean) = H2CO3 (carbonic acid)

2)H2CO3 (carbonic acid dissociates) = H + HCO3- (bicarbonate ion)
3)CaCO3 (from the ocean dissociates) = Ca2+ + CO32- (carbonate ion)
 4)H+ (from the carbonic acid) + CO32- (from the oceanic CaCO3) = HCO3 (H+ions take
up carbonate ion and forms bicarbonate)
Currently the capacity of oceans to take up CO2 is only 70% of what it was at the
beginning of the industrial era, and it may well be reduced to only 20% by the end of
the twenty-first century.
Prior to industrialization, the pH of the oceans was on average about 8.2; however,
since then, the average pH has dropped about 0.1 units. While this may seem like a
small change, it actually represents a 26 percent increase in acidity.
The increased level of acidity has many negative impacts on the marine ecosystems
such as reduction in the capacity of the calcifying organisms to build shell or skeletal
material (via calcification), reduced survival, development, and growth rates as well
as changes in physiological functions and reduced biodiversity .