Data shows that global CO2 emissions have remained roughly the same for the third year in a row. Although that’s good news for the fight against climate change, it’s important to put this data in perspective.
Data shows that global CO2 emissions have remained roughly the same for the third year in a row. Although that’s good news for the fight against climate change, it’s important to put this data in perspective.
International Energy Agency Executive (IEA) Director Fatih Birol explained:
These three years of flat emissions in a growing global economy signal an emerging trend and that is certainly a cause for optimism, even if it is too soon to say that global emissions have definitely peaked. They are also a sign that market dynamics and technological improvements matter. This is especially true in the United States, where abundant shale gas supplies have become a cheap power source.
While there was largely no change in Europe, the biggest differences came from two of the world’s major energy users: the United States and China. Combined, these huge nations helped to offset increases in carbon emissions from other countries.
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Photo credit: NASA via Wikimedia Commons
