Global carbon emission growth

The Doha climate Change Conference has been marked by more reports on the growth in carbon emissions.  The latest is from the Global Carbon Project which and summarises global carbon emissions for 2011. Its conclusions are shocking: carbon emissions are increasing and this could mean global temperature increases between 4°C to 6.1°C. 

“CO₂ emissions from fossil fuels burning and cement production increased by 3% in 2011, with a total of 9.5±0.5 PgC emitted to the atmosphere (34.7 billion tonnes of CO₂). These emissions were the highest in human history and 54% higher than in 1990 (the Kyoto Protocol reference year).

Current trajectories of fossil fuel emissions are tracking some of the most carbon intensive emission scenarios used in the Intergovermental Panel of Climate Change (IPCC). The current trajectory is tracking the Representative Concentration Pathway 8.5 (of the latest family of IPCC scenarios) that takes the planet to about 4°C to 6.1°C above pre-industrial times by 2100."

You can find out more at the global Carbon Project website: http://www.globalcarbonproject.org/carbonbudget/12/hl-full.htm#pathways

By Adrian Shaw