大氣中使氣候升熱的溫室氣體持續增加，而根據聯合國世界氣象組織（WMO）11月25日出版的年度報告指出，2007年全球的二氧化碳濃度再次達到歷史新高。
溫室氣體在地球大氣層當中攔截太陽輻射，因而產生暖化現象。人類燃燒化石燃料及農業的活動是溫室氣體的主要排放源，而科學家也確認這些氣體是全球暖化及氣候變遷的驅動因子。
世界氣象組織的全球大氣觀測網（Global Atmosphere Watch，GAW）協調65個國家的觀測站組成網絡進行溫室氣體測量，測量結果每年都會發表在世界氣象組織的「溫室氣體公報（Greenhouse Gas Bulletin）」中。
WMO年度報告指出：「全球各地人口成長及都市發展持續增加石油、煤炭及天然氣等化石燃料的使用，這些燃料會排放二氧化碳到大氣層當中。同時，為了農業發展而砍伐森林來整地的情形，也持續將二氧化碳排放至大氣中，並且減少生物圈對碳的吸收」。
這些資料在聯合國氣候變遷2008年度會議舉辦的前幾天被發表出來，而這個會議將於12月1日至12日在波蘭波茲南（Poznan）舉辦。在此會議裡將研訂一個2年協商流程的中程目標，設立這個目標是為了明年在哥本哈根（Copenhagen）能積極促成一個國際氣候變遷協議。這個協議預期將取代京都議定書（Kyoto Protocol）。京都議定書限制溫室氣體排放，但即將在2012年到期。
在波蘭的會議中，協商者們將評估第一年協商的進展，並且規劃哪些事務需要在2009年底達成協議之前完成。
美國維吉尼亞州阿靈頓（Arlington）的Pew全球氣候變遷中心（Pew Center for Global Climate Change）的資深科學家高立基（Jay Gulledge）表示，對限制溫室氣體做出努力是很近期的事，他並不預期會在這個時間點就能看到溫室氣體降低。
高立基在接受環境新聞服務（ENS）媒體採訪時說道：「2008年才開始執行京都議定書的約束性階段（binding phase），而減少溫室氣體的正式行動也是從2008年才開始的。京都議定書是由許多國家分開執行的，但是僅有少數國家有強制性的政策。
美國有關減少溫室氣體的政策是屬於自願性的，而非強制性的。儘管這個國家的人口僅佔全球的4%，其排放至大氣中的溫室氣體卻大約有全球的1/4。
高立基指出：「歐盟有最最明確的強制性政策，他們所採用的碳排放交易系統從2008年才成為約束性的。我認為要判斷我們的政策是否有效還為時太早。」
高立基是一位研究碳循環的生態學家，他表示溫室氣體排放量僅能在2015年之前達到最高峰，以「好好地將氣候狀態穩定維持在一個安全的水準」。
Climate-heating greenhouse gases continue to increase in the atmosphere, and last year, global concentrations of carbon dioxide again reached the highest levels ever recorded, according to an annual report released Tuesday by the World Meteorological Organization.
Greenhouse gases trap the Sun's radiation within the Earth’s atmosphere causing it to warm. Human activities, such as fossil fuel burning and agriculture, are major emitters of the gases, which scientists recognize as drivers of global warming and climate change.
The WMO Global Atmosphere Watch coordinates the measurement of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere through a network of observatories located in more than 65 countries. The measurements are published annually in the WMO's "Greenhouse Gas Bulletin."
"Population growth and urban development worldwide continue to increase the use of fossil fuels, such as oil, coal and natural gas, which emit carbon dioxide and other gases into the atmosphere. At the same time, the clearing of land for agriculture, including deforestation, is releasing carbon dioxide into the air and reducing carbon uptake by the biosphere," the WMO states in its report.
The new figures were released just days ahead of the annual UN Climate Change Conference, taking place this year in Poznan, Poland from December 1-12.
It constitutes the half-way mark of a two-year negotiating process, set to culminate in an ambitious international climate change deal in Copenhagen next year that will take over from the Kyoto Protocol limiting greenhouse gas emissions, which expires in 2012.
In Poland, negotiators will take stock of the progress made in the first year of the talks and outline what needs to be done to reach agreement at the end of 2009.
Jay Gulledge, senior scientist with the Pew Center for Global Climate Change in Arlington, Virginia, says efforts to limit greenhouse gases are very recent and he would not expect to see a decrease at this point.
"The implementation of the binding phase of the Kyoto Protocol only began in 2008, that's the birth year of official efforts to reduce greenhouse gases," Gulledge told ENS in an interview. "The Kyoto Protocol is implemented separately by many countries, but very few countries have mandatory policies."
There is a voluntary, not a mandatory greenhouse gas reduction policy in the United States, which releases into the atmosphere roughly one quarter of all global greenhouse gas emissions, although it has only about four percent of the world's population.
"The most obvious mandatory policy is in the European Union," said Gulledge, "with the trading system for carbon emissions that only became binding this year. I think it is too early to judge whether we have effective policy as yet."
An ecologist who studies the carbon cycle, Gulledge says greenhouse gas emissions must peak by 2015 to have "a good shot at stabililzing the climate at a safe level."
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In my healing journey and learning to attain the breath awareness, I become aware of the reality that all the creatures of the world are breathing the same breath. Take action, here and now. From my physical being to the every corner of this out of balance's planet.
