5 December 2018
A new study released today by the Global Carbon Project forecasts that global annual carbon emissions will increase by an expected 2.7% in 2018, with a range between 1.8% and 3.7%. 2018 will be the second consecutive year of global carbon emissions increases following a flat trend between 2014 and 2016.
Globally, fossil fuel carbon dioxide emissions are expected to reach 37.1 billion metric tons in 2018, a new record.
In order of emissions contributions, the 10 highest carbon emitters in 2018 are China, the U.S., India, Russia, Japan, Germany, Iran, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, and Canada.
Carbon emissions from coal combustion have increased in 2018, reversing a previously decreasing trend. Emissions from oil and gas combustion have continued to rise unabated for years.
Energy use from renewable sources is on the rise, and per capita carbon emissions are falling in many parts of the world. However, these efforts have not yet been sufficient to cause global carbon emissions to peak or begin declining.
According to a recently released report by the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), in order to meet the Paris climate agreement goals of holding global warming to 1.5°C or 2°C above the pre-industrial average temperature, global yearly carbon dioxide emissions from all sources, including fossil fuel combustion, will need to peak by 2020, decline to 50% of the peak value by around 2030, and reach net zero emissions no later than around 2055, as shown in the lower left panel below.
“The growing global demand for energy is outpacing decarbonization efforts. This needs to change, and it needs to change quickly.”
–Corinne Le Quéré, director of the Tyndall Center for Climate Change Research
Read more here.
#rescuethatfrog