Skip to content
Bramble

Climate

WMO: carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide hit record levels in 2025

The World Meteorological Organization's annual bulletin reports record atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide in 2025, and flags sulphur hexafluoride as a growing concern ahead of COP31.

4 outlets · 0L · 3C · 1R First reported Account updated

Updated (version 2). New coverage since the last version from Daily Mail, South China Morning Post.

Image: New Scientist
Image: Daily Mail
Image: Anadolu Agency
Image: South China Morning Post

1 / 4

The story, neutrally told

Centre · 2The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) reported that atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide all reached record highs in 2025, in its 22nd annual Greenhouse Gas Bulletin; Anadolu dates the release to Monday, while AFP says the UN announced it on Tuesday. Centre · 2The global average surface concentration of carbon dioxide was 426.8 parts per million (ppm), about 153% of pre-industrial levels (53% higher). Centre · 2Methane reached 1,948 parts per billion (ppb) and nitrous oxide 339.1 ppb, roughly 267% and 126% of their pre-industrial levels.

Centre · 2Anadolu Agency reports that CO2 rose by 2.8 ppm between 2024 and 2025, driven partly by continued fossil fuel combustion, and that annual CO2 growth has tripled since the 1960s, from 0.8 to 2.4 ppm a year in 2011-2020. New Scientist adds that the 2024-25 increase was slightly above the decade's average annual growth but less steep than the previous year's. Mixed · 2AFP, carried by the South China Morning Post, puts the 2023-24 rise at a record 3.6 ppm and the past decade's average growth at 2.6 ppm; WMO's Oksana Tarasova attributed the smaller 2025 rise to recovery of land carbon sinks and reduced fire emissions after the 2023/2024 El Niño, and said a further increase is expected in 2026 from fossil fuel burning and a developing powerful El Niño. Centre · 2WMO Deputy Secretary-General Ko Barrett said greenhouse gases are trapping an unprecedented amount of heat, fuelling more extreme weather and risks to economies and societies; she added that CO2's long lifetime means it will affect the climate for decades and even centuries, and that the past 11 years were the warmest on record.

Centre · 2The WMO also drew attention to sulphur hexafluoride, used in electricity distribution, whose 100-year warming potential is about 24,000 times that of CO2; Anadolu says it saw its largest annual increase in 2025, while New Scientist says levels have risen steadily for three decades in line with electrification. Mixed · 2The Daily Mail gives sulphur hexafluoride's 100-year warming potential as about 24,300 times that of CO2 and its lifespan as over 1,000 years, and AFP says CO2 accounts for about 66% of the warming effect of the three main gases, with methane about 16%. Centre · 1New Scientist adds that the WMO flagged molecular hydrogen, which is not a greenhouse gas but has a strong indirect warming effect; its concentration rose 5.3% between 2010 and 2024. It also notes the UN has confirmed the 1.5°C target is due to be exceeded within a few years, with emissions on track for 2.8°C of warming by 2100.

Right · 1The Daily Mail quotes outside scientists: Imperial College London's Joeri Rogelj said emissions growth has slowed but is still the opposite of what is needed, Exeter University's Pierre Friedlingstein said 1.5°C will be breached in coming years, and Piers Forster said renewables overtook coal generation in 2025 and fossil electricity generation slightly declined. Centre · 2The bulletin comes ahead of the COP31 UN climate conference in Türkiye, which Anadolu says starts on 9 November.

Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.

Left0 outlets

No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.

Centre3 outlets

Framing
Anadolu and AFP (via SCMP) present the bulletin as a straightforward science report on record concentrations and a warning about continued warming, tied to the upcoming COP31 summit.
Emphasis
New Scientist stresses failure to rein in emissions and lesser-known gases; Anadolu stresses CO2 growth rates and COP31 host Türkiye; AFP stresses the concentration-versus-emissions distinction and El Niño effects.
Leaves out or plays down
Anadolu omits the hydrogen finding and El Niño explanation; AFP omits the sulphur hexafluoride finding.
For example
“The bulletin looks at greenhouse gas concentrations – the amount of those gases in the atmosphere – rather than new annual emissions amounts” — South China Morning Post
“where governments are expected to discuss translating climate commitments into concrete action.” — Anadolu Agency

Right1 outlet

Framing
The Daily Mail leads on 'emissions' hitting an all-time high and contrasts net zero pledges with the data, while including expert calls for urgent action and some hopeful signs.
Emphasis
Growth-rate tripling, El Niño, outside academics' comments, and a note that renewables overtook coal in 2025.
Leaves out or plays down
Does not mention COP31; calls the WMO concentration data 'emissions' and a 'study' in its headline and lede, though the bulletin measures concentrations.
Charged language
“relentless increase”“starkly different picture”“dumped into the atmosphere”
For example
“Despite countries around the world making commitments to pursue green policies and Net Zero targets, the data presents a starkly different picture.” — Daily Mail
“Greenhouse gas emissions have hit an all-time high, with CO2 growth rates tripling since 1960, a study has found.” — Daily Mail

Ask about this story

Loading…