Study Finds Global CO2 Emissions Dropped 1.3% in 2009; Emissions in China and India Rose 9% and 6%
02 September 2010
Global CO2 emissions decreased 1.3% in 2009, the first decrease recorded this decade, according to an addendum to an earlier study outlining a method for updating global fossil fuel carbon dioxide emissions published in the journal Environmental Research Letters. However, regional differences are “substantial&rdquo, with emissions in China and India increasing by 9 and 6 percent, respectively.
“The decrease in emissions follow the decrease in the global economy. This is not unexpected”, said Gunnar Myhre, senior research fellow at CICERO and one of the scientists behind the article.
While emissions from oil and gas have decreased, emissions from coal have remained stable; the share of coal as a fuel has increased.
In contrast to many other countries, China and India increased their emissions in 2009. China is now responsible for 24% of the global fossil emissions of CO2. However, Chinese emissions have increased more than the economic growth. Glen Peters, a senior research fellow at CICERO, pointed to China’s large investments in infrastructure and export production since 2009.
“When China invests in roads or buildings, this causes large emissions, as industries like cement and steel industries are very emission intensive”, Peters said. Although the stimulus package from the Chinese government in 2008 was said to have a green focus, even construction of windmills is a relatively emission intensive activity, at least in the short run Peters said.
China also has a large export sector. Exports initially had a big drop during the financial crisis, but quickly recovered. “Due to large exports, China doesn’t only benefit from its own stimulus package, but also from stimulus packages in other countries”, said Peters.
Resources
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G Myhre, K Alterskjær and D Lowel (2010) Addendum to “A fast method for updating global fossil fuel carbon dioxide emissions”. Environ. Res. Lett. 5 039701 doi: 10.1088/1748-9326/5/3/039701
Not surprise to see CO2 emissions follow the same curve as economic activities. The two countries (China and India) that managed to have high economic activities/growth also have high CO2 emissions. Of course, China and India with their larger population and highest economic growth will have the higher (total) CO2 emissions. Plain common sense.
Posted by: HarveyD | 02 September 2010 at 07:14 AM
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No surprise to see temperatures follow, in the inverse, CO2 decreases. But, since Global Warming® (since rebranded Climate Change®, since rebranded CO2 Pollution®) is religious dogma it doesn't matter that an increase in global temperatures coincides with a decrease in CO2. The "science" is "settled" so discussion is NOT allowed.
Praise be to Algore. No praise to his Discovery Communications, terrorist, follower.
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Posted by: The Goracle | 02 September 2010 at 09:44 AM
Goracle: No surprise about your rehashed misinformed drivel. The science is settled when there is 97% concurrence among those qualified to study it.
Posted by: Sanity Chk | 02 September 2010 at 04:12 PM
Why bother posting Goracle when your posts are always the same and you obviously have no interest in green cars? What makes you think anyone is interested?
Posted by: critta | 02 September 2010 at 05:05 PM
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Sanity Chk, please don't call the article misinformed drivel. These government funded "scientists" have done an excellent job of showing that CO2 has decreased while other government funded "scientists" have shown that temperatures are increasing at the same time. The "science" is "settled." You are not allowed to discuss it.
critta, How "green car" are you? I drive a biodiesel fueled, 50 mpg, vehicle. I bike for short trips to the grocery store, etc. I simply don't buy the Globalwarmist religious dogma that an ever expanding, ever more incompetent government, along with massive tax increases and terrible losses of freedom are the solutions to Earth's naturally changing climate cycles. Yes, I will be shouted at, called names, and slandered by the Globalwarmists. But when those are the best arguments they have when it comes to climate they are revealing themselves as frauds.
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Posted by: The Goracle | 03 September 2010 at 07:51 AM
We could reduce CO2 even more and the temperature would rise. There is so much in the atmosphere that the effect carries on. The planet can only take just so much out and the carbon removal methods are over loaded now. If you hit a tipping point like permafrost out gassing of methane, then you could reduce CO2 even more and the temperature would continue to rise. We are playing with fire and the potential outcomes are not good.
Posted by: SJC | 03 September 2010 at 10:42 AM
Please don't bother Goracle. He is a "commentator" here. He speaks his "mind" when things trouble him. He sees any mention of global warming or climate change as "offensive" to his "anti-tax" ways. He "likes" quotation marks. He "thinks" he knows what he's talking "about". He "sits" in puddles of his own "drool" deciding who is "against" him and who is "with" him. He's a "genius".
Posted by: sheckyvegas | 03 September 2010 at 02:55 PM
Gosh shecky - you're usually better humored than that.
Posted by: Reel$$ | 06 September 2010 at 08:40 PM