2 sets of new emissions data out yesterday. First, the overview, courtesy of the Worldwatch Institute‘s new Vital Signs Online project:
Although global emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) declined slightly in 2009, the beginnings of economic recovery led to an unprecedented emissions increase of 5.8 percent in 2010. In 2011, global atmospheric levels of CO2 reached a high of 391.3 parts per million (ppm), up from 388.6 ppm in 2010 and 280 ppm in pre-industrial times.
OECD emissions were up 3.4% in 2010; non-OECD emissions 7.6%. China became the world’s biggest emitter – but well done Worldwatch for pointing out in their news release that China’s still only 61st in the world in terms of emissions per capita. (The US is second overall and 10th in per capita emissions.) Overall global CO2 levels are now 45% above 1990 levels.
In other news, International Energy Agency data out yesterday and picked up in the FT has this:
US energy-related emissions of carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas, fell by 450m tonnes over the past five years – the largest drop among all countries surveyed. Fatih Birol, IEA chief economist, attributed the fall to improvements in fuel efficiency in the transport sector and a “major shift” from coal to gas in the power sector.
Here’s the IEA’s take on the overall picture:
The agency has calculated that in order to contain rising temperatures and avoid the most damaging effects of global warming, annual energy-related emissions should be no more than 32.6GT by 2017. “We are now only 1GT away from that, with five years still to go,” Mr Birol warned. “The door to a 2 degree trajectory is about to close, and to close forever.”
We are so failing to solve this problem faster than we’re creating it.
