Green Celebrity
Mon, 23 Jul 2012 12:31:52 GMT | By IANS

Global CO2 emissions continue to soar

London: Global emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), the main cause of global warming, increased by three percent last year, reaching an all-time high of 34 billion tonnes in 2011

Global CO2 emissions continue to soar

In China, the world's most populous country, the average emissions of CO2 increased by nine per cent to 7.2 tonnes per capita. China is now within the range of six to 19 tonnes per capita emissions of the major industrialised countries.

In the European Union, CO2 emissions dropped by three percent to 7.5 tonnes per capita. The US remains one of the largest emitters of CO2, with 17.3 tonnes per capita, despite a decline due to the recession in 2008-2009, high oil prices and an increased share of natural gas.

These are the main findings of the annual report, Trends In Global CO2 Emissions, released by the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) and the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (PBL).

Emissions from OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries now account for only one-third of global CO2 emissions - the same share as that of China and India combined - where emissions increased by nine percent and six percent respectively in 2011, according to a JRC statement.

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