A recently released scientific report reveals carbon dioxide emissions from burning of fossil fuels jumped 5.9 percent last year, the biggest percentage jump since 2003. The high rate is a "bounce-back" from the 1.4 percent drop in 2009 emissions which was a result of more investment in "green energy" and the recession. Justin Gillis of The New York Times reports the Global Carbon Project, a collaboration of international scientists tracking climate change, said the increase amounts to half a billion tons of extra carbon being pumped into the air, the most since the Industrial Revolution. Researchers fear the "ever-rising emissions" will make it difficult to curb severe climate change in coming decades.
The report says combustion of coal represents more than half the emission growth. The U.S. is the world's second-largest greenhouse gas emitter, following China, where emissions grew 10.4 percent last year. Gillis reports these figures are revealed as delegates from 191 countries met in South Africa for a negotiating session in emissions control effort that's been continuing for two decades with little success. Scientists' increasingly desperate efforts to convince society to curb their carbon habits "have met sharp political resistance in many countries, including the United States, because doing so would entail higher energy costs," Gillis reports.
In developing countries, like China and India, most emissions come from industrial production, while in wealthy countries, individual emissions outweigh those from industry. However, Glen P. Peters, researcher at the Center for International Climate and Environmental Research and leader in the recent report, told Gillis wealthy countries have simply out-sourced their emissions. Though scientists say emissions should return to a 3 percent yearly growth rate in coming years, they warn that figure is still "worrisome" and "signifies little progress in limiting greenhouse gases." (Read more)
The report says combustion of coal represents more than half the emission growth. The U.S. is the world's second-largest greenhouse gas emitter, following China, where emissions grew 10.4 percent last year. Gillis reports these figures are revealed as delegates from 191 countries met in South Africa for a negotiating session in emissions control effort that's been continuing for two decades with little success. Scientists' increasingly desperate efforts to convince society to curb their carbon habits "have met sharp political resistance in many countries, including the United States, because doing so would entail higher energy costs," Gillis reports.
In developing countries, like China and India, most emissions come from industrial production, while in wealthy countries, individual emissions outweigh those from industry. However, Glen P. Peters, researcher at the Center for International Climate and Environmental Research and leader in the recent report, told Gillis wealthy countries have simply out-sourced their emissions. Though scientists say emissions should return to a 3 percent yearly growth rate in coming years, they warn that figure is still "worrisome" and "signifies little progress in limiting greenhouse gases." (Read more)
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