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Climate vs. Weather Anthropogenic Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Carbon dioxide emission represents 77% of total anthropogenic
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
in 2004.
In fact, the natural photosynthesis
carried out by plants consumes atmospheric carbon dioxide, thus
reduces its concentration. Otherwise, global warming would have been
more severe! That is the reason forests must be conserved!
| |
1970 - 2004 |
1990 - 2004. |
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Global greenhouse gas emissions |
70%
|
24% |
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Concentration of CO2 emissions |
80% |
28% |
Global
Anthropogenic GHG in 2004
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Energy is by far the largest producer of GHG and accounts for
56.6% of the total emissions, primarily
from burning fossil fuels. Emissions from energy are evenly split
between developing and developed economies. Though on a
per-capita basis, the developed nations' emissions are
much higher.
(Eia.doe.gov) |
Global CO2 Emissions from Fossil Fuel
Burning by Sector 2004
(Source: IEA)
Electricity production accounts for around 1/3 of the world's
CO2 emissions, making it the single biggest
contributor to global warming.
(EIA)
Some Top Carbon Dioxide
Emitters (2004)
|
Country |
Total emissions
(1000 tons of C) |
Per capita
emissions
(tons/capita) |
Per capita emissions
(rank) |
| 1. United States |
1,656,020 |
5.61 |
(9) |
| 2. China (mainland) |
1,366,554 |
1.05 |
(92) |
| 3. Russian
|
415,951 |
2.89 |
(28) |
| 4. India |
366,301 |
0.34 |
(129) |
| 5. Japan |
343,117 |
2.69 |
(33) |
| 6. Germany |
220,596 |
2.67 |
(36) |
| 7. Canada
|
174,401 |
5.46 |
(10) |
| 8. United Kingdom |
160,179 |
2.67 |
(37) |
|
9. France |
101,927 |
1.64 |
(66) |
|
10. Brazil |
90,499 |
0.50 |
(118) |
| 11.
Australia |
89,125 |
4.41 |
(13) |
| 12. Saudi Arabia |
84,116 |
3.71 |
(18) |
Source: Marland, G., T.A. Boden, R. J.
Andres. 2004. Global, Regional, and National CO2 Emissions. In
Trends: A Compendium of Data on Global Change. Carbon Dioxide
Information Analysis Center, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S.
Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tenn., U.S.A.
In 2000, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
projected a worst case scenario of GHG emissions in the
twenty-first century of 2.3% annually. Yet this upper-limit
projection has been surpassed with a current 3.1% annual emissions.
We can expect that temperature and sea level rise will do likewise.
The United States and China alone account for more than 33%
of global fossil fuel related carbon dioxide emissions. The United
States has been the world’s largest emitter for over a century,
accounting for 19.8%, closely followed by China, with its insatiable
energy demand. China is currently opening an average of two
coal-fired power plants a week.
Emissions in China have more than doubled since 1990.
The other countries in the top five are Russia, India, and Japan. Of
these, India's emissions has tripled since 1981. The increase in
emissions from India and China reflects the rapid industrialization
and economic growth currently happening throughout Asia. Since 2000,
carbon dioxide emissions in Asia have grown five times faster than
emissions in the rest of the world. The region, which produced less
then 10 percent of global emissions in 1970, now accounts for almost
a third of the world total.
China Is Top CO2 Emitter by 2006
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Analysts
expect that China will overtake the United States to
become the world’s largest emitter before 2009. But by
2006,
China has already overtaken the
U.S. to become the largest carbon dioxide
emitter, responsible for 21% of the world’s emissions —
up from 14% in 2002. India will soon overtake Russia to
take the third place.
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From point of
total carbon emissions and carbon emissions per capita, the
chart shows in general, richer
countries have higher per capita emissions. The US has a
per capita value almost five times greater than that in
China, and almost 200 times greater than those in the poorest
countries in the world.
Important examples show that emissions
do not have to be correlated with standard of living. California,
where the average income is well above the U.S. mean, still has per
capita emissions just over half the national average. Many countries
in Europe also have per capita emissions less than half those in the
United States and yet still have a comparable standard of living.
From point of growth rate of
carbon emissions, and total emissions, a few developing countries
like China and India are among the few tops.
These contrasting sets of
figures spark challenges facing the world in searching
for fair and equitable solutions in emissions reductions. In
general, emission per capita is correlated with standard of living.
China and India have a low emission per capita number of
1.05, and 0.34 respectively, compared to 5.65 of the US, indicating
that the two populations are still undergoing relatively low
standard of living. Therefore, as they have always defended the
increased of energy demand as a right for its people to improve
their standard of living.
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