--- title: Greenhouse Gas Levels Hit a Record High description: Levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere reached a new record high in 2014, according to a new report released by the World Meteorological Organization on Monday. canonical: https://time.com/4104572/greenhouse-gas-levels-wmo/ author: Alexandra Sifferlin article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-11-09T13:15:13.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-02-22T12:26:50.466Z article:section: Science og:title: Greenhouse Gas Levels Hit a Record High og:description: Levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere reached a new record high in 2014, according to a new report released by the World Meteorological Organization on Monday. og:url: https://time.com/4104572/greenhouse-gas-levels-wmo/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt45e4b7a00b76e17f/69887019f887dc2fbee93363/air-pollution-greenhouse-gas-climate-change.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 5000 og:image:height: 2813 og:image:alt: cityscape showing air pollution and skyline og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Greenhouse Gas Levels Hit a Record High twitter:description: Levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere reached a new record high in 2014, according to a new report released by the World Meteorological Organization on Monday. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt45e4b7a00b76e17f/69887019f887dc2fbee93363/air-pollution-greenhouse-gas-climate-change.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Greenhouse Gas Levels Hit a Record High > Sponsored content. 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Future Proof is TIME's weekly climate and energy newsletter, written by senior correspondent Justin Worland. It connects the energy transition to the decisions reshaping business, technology, policy and markets. #### Where can I follow the energy transition as a business story? Future Proof covers climate and energy as an economic and business story rather than only an environmental one. It publishes every Friday and is free at time.com/newsletters. #### Who writes Future Proof? Justin Worland, a senior correspondent at TIME and an award-winning climate journalist, writes Future Proof. #### Is Future Proof free? Yes. Future Proof is free at time.com/newsletters. by [Alexandra Sifferlin](https://time.com/author/alexandra-sifferlin/) ## Alexandra Sifferlin Nov 9, 2015 1:15 PM UTC  Air pollution creates a haze over Sao Paulo during sunset on Feb. 2, 2015. Air pollution creates a haze over Sao Paulo during sunset on Feb. 2, 2015. Ricardo Beliel—Brazil Photos/LightRocket/Getty Images by [Alexandra Sifferlin](https://time.com/author/alexandra-sifferlin/) ## Alexandra Sifferlin Nov 9, 2015 1:15 PM UTC Levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere reached a record high in 2014, [according to a new report](https://www.wmo.int/media/content/greenhouse-gas-concentrations-hit-yet-another-record) released by the World Meteorological Organization on Monday. The WMO reported that concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere reached 397.7 parts per million (ppm) in 2014, and in the Northern hemisphere it “crossed the symbolically significant 400 ppm level in 2014 spring, when CO2 is most abundant.” The global average levels of CO2 concentration also passed 400 ppm in spring 2015. “We can’t see CO2\. It is an invisible threat, but a very real one. It means hotter global temperatures, more extreme weather events like heatwaves and floods, melting ice, rising sea levels and increased acidity of the oceans. This is happening now and we are moving into unchartered territory at a frightening speed,” Michel Jarraud, WMO Secretary-General [said in a statement.](https://www.wmo.int/media/content/greenhouse-gas-concentrations-hit-yet-another-record) CO2 and other greenhouse gases trap heat on the Earth’s surface which warms it. The United Nations agency reports that there was a 36% increase in radiative forcing, which is the warming effect on our climate, due to higher levels of greenhouse gases such as CO2, methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) from 1990 to 2014. Scientists say CO2 levels should remain below 400 ppm to avoid long term climate issues, [the Washington _Post_ reports](https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/greenhouse-gases-hit-new-milestone-fueling-worries-about-climate-change/2015/11/08/1d7c7ffc-8654-11e5-be39-0034bb576eee%5Fstory.html). The burning of fossil fuels has lead to a steady increase of CO2 in the atmosphere. 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