Wednesday, December 07, 2011
(photo: PA)
Efforts to slow the effects of global warming went out the window last year with a record release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. A small number of big developing nations, trying to stimulate their economies out of the global recession, fueled the emissions growth.
Emissions worldwide increased 5.9% in 2010, according to the Global Carbon Project, an international collaboration of scientists. Experts said the jump meant a half-billion extra tons of carbon was released into the air, making it the largest increase since the Industrial Revolution.
While scientists don’t expect the same amount of carbon to be released again, yearly emissions of even 3% (the average last decade) would still be worrisome as far as mitigating the impacts of climate change.
China, the world’s largest emitter of CO2, saw its emissions go up more than 10% in 2010. The No. 2 emitter, the United States, released 4% more carbon last year than in 2009.
Carbon Emissions Show Biggest Jump Ever Recorded (by Justin Gillis, New York Times)
Global Industry CO2 Output Rising Even in Weak Economy: Study (by David Fogarty, Reuters)
Carbon Dioxide Emissions Show Record Jump (by Fiona Harvey, The Guardian)
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