Study finds global carbon emissions reached 10 billion tonnes in 2010
04 December 2011
Global carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels have increased by 49% in the last two decades, according to the latest figures from the Global Carbon Project. Total emissions—including fossil fuel combustion, cement production, deforestation and other land use emissions—reached 10 billion tonnes of carbon (36.7 billion tonnes of CO2) in 2010 for the first time.
Half of the emissions remained in the atmosphere, where CO2 concentration reached 389.6 parts per million. The remaining emissions were taken up by the ocean and land reservoirs, in approximately equal proportions.
Published in the journal Nature Climate Change, the new analysis shows fossil fuel emissions increased by 5.9% in 2010 and by 49% since 1990, the reference year for the Kyoto protocol. On average, fossil fuel emissions have risen by 3.1% each year between 2000 and 2010—three times the rate of increase during the 1990s. They are projected to continue to increase by 3.1% in 2011.
Rebounding from the global financial crisis of 2008-09 when emissions temporarily decreased, last year’s high growth was caused by both emerging and developed economies.
Contributions to global emissions growth in 2010 were largest from China, the United States, India, the Russian Federation and the European Union. Emissions from the trade of goods and services produced in emerging economies but consumed in the West increased from 2.5% of the share of rich countries in 1990 to 16% in 2010.
Global CO2 emissions since 2000 are tracking the high end of the projections used by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which far exceed two degrees warming by 2100. Yet governments have pledged to keep warming below two degrees to avoid the most dangerous aspects of climate change such as widespread water stress and sea level rise, and increases in extreme climatic events. Taking action to reverse current trends is urgent.
—co-author Prof Corinne Le Quéré, director of the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research and professor at the University of East Anglia
The Global Carbon Project is opening an office at the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research at UEA in 2012, funded by the Natural Environment Research Council. The office will support the annual publication of emissions statistics for the atmosphere, ocean and land reservoirs.
Resources
Glen P. Peters, Gregg Marland, Corinne Le Quéré, Thomas Boden, Josep G. Canadell and Michael R. Raupach (2011) Rapid growth in CO2 emissions after the 2008–2009 global financial crisis. Nature Climate Change doi: 10.1038/nclimate1332
Amazingly low (1.43 tonnes) yearly worldwide per capita CO2 emissions. Canada's is getting very close to 25 tonnes, i.e about 17.5 times the world average and going up every year. USA and Australia are not far behind Canada. Will we get a medal?
Posted by: HarveyD | 04 December 2011 at 10:59 AM
Even though UEA, Tyndall, CRU, etc. have managed to reduce their science credibility to near-zero -- there are GHG reduction technologies on the way:
Here is NASA Langley Chief Scientist Dr. Dennis Bushnell on the impact of LENR:
"In Short, LENR , depending upon the TBD performance, appears to be capable of Revolutionizing Aerospace across the board. No other single technology even comes close to the potential impacts of LENR upon Agency Missions."
http://www.ecatplanet.net/content.php?123-LENR-Presentation-by-Dennis-Bushnell-Chief-Scientist-NASA-Langley
Bushnell is just one of two dozen highly qualified scientists supporting the commercialization of LENR technology. This, along with moderate development of solar, and coal->NG conversions will address issues in this report.
Posted by: Reel$$ | 04 December 2011 at 12:42 PM
Reel
This ecat stuff is a scam, nothing more, but feel free to believe these deceptive illusions...
Posted by: Treehugger | 04 December 2011 at 02:52 PM
Tree, I assume you condemn ALL scientists working in LENR? Should we consider all NASA scientists (Jimmy Hansen, Gavin Schmidt, etc) charlatans?
Read the link. This is happening, like it or not. If you cared about the environment rather than Marxism - you would celebrate.
Posted by: Reel$$ | 04 December 2011 at 06:20 PM
Reel
What the marxism ? who fear the threat of marxism anymore these day asides of you ? and what is the marxis doing in this discussion ?
you list of Scholar doesn't impress me at all, Fleich and Pons were Nobel price but their fusion in a bottle ended as a joke. The ecat will follow the same path.
Posted by: Treehugger | 04 December 2011 at 09:51 PM
Tree, somehow forget language skilms?? The marxes are in horse feathers - Pons & Fletch on Chevy Chase not di win Novel price-club!! con-fusion in bottle is NOT joke!
Now, scuze me to get my Mao jacket for to march in QuagDong!
Posted by: Reel$$ | 05 December 2011 at 11:02 AM
OOOOPS... "not DID win Novel price-club!!"
Posted by: Reel$$ | 06 December 2011 at 01:42 PM