Global Carbon Emissions on the Rise in Emerging Economies
Global carbon emissions from mankind are increasing at a rate of four times more than that of 2000, according to an annual study from the Global Carbon Project.
The study found that developing nations like China and India are currently producing more than half of mankind’s output of carbon dioxide.
Emissions from burning fossil fuels was a major contributor to the increase, the authors said in their "Global Carbon Project (2008) Carbon budget and trends 2007" report.
India would soon overtake Russia to become the world’s third largest CO2 emitter, it says.
"What we are talking about now for the first time is that the absolute value of all emissions going into the atmosphere every year are bigger coming from less developing countries than the developed world," said the project’s Australia-based executive director Pep Canadell.
"The other thing we confirm is that China is indeed now the top emitter," he said.
Professor Barry Brook of the Research Institute for Climate Change and Sustainability at the University of Adelaide in Australia, said the growth of carbon emissions could cause the world to heat at a much faster rate than previously estimated
CO2 concentrations could hit 450 ppm by 2030 instead of 2040 as currently predicted, Brook said.
"But whatever the specific date, 450 ppm CO2 commits us to 2 degrees Celsius global warming and all the disastrous consequences this sets in train."
Currently, CO2 concentrations are just above 380 ppm.
The Global Carbon Project started in 2001 and examines changes in the earth’s total carbon cycle involving man-made and natural emissions and how carbon is absorbed through sinks, such as oceans and forests.
Kyoto Protocol binds only 37 rich nations to emissions curbs from 2008.
But Kyoto’s first phase ends in 2012 and the pact doesn’t commit developing nations to emissions caps. The United Nations is leading talks to expand Kyoto from 2013 and find a magic formula that brings on board all nations to commit to curbs on emissions of CO2 and other greenhouse gases.
"This latest information on rising carbon dioxide emissions is a big wake-up call to industry, business and politicians," said professor Matthew England, joint director of the University of New South Wales Climate Change Research Center.
Canadell admitted that the recent credit crisis would slow emissions growth.
"There is no doubt that the economic downturn will have an influence. But unless the big players, China, India, Russia and Japan, suffer as much as the United States is suffering, we’ll see a small decline only."
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