2010 worst year for greenhouse gas emissions ever

The US department of energy has announced that carbon emissions have exceeded the worst case scenario set out by climate scientists four years ago. Between 2009 and 2010, emissions rose by six per cent (by 512 million metric tonnes), an amount equivalent to the whole of China.

The main source of the increases, according to geologist at Appalachian State University Gregg Marland, is down to huge increases in China and the USA. Whilst emission increases stagnated due to the world financial crisis in the last few years, the last year has seen the trend for heavy increases return, exceeding the worst case scenario of the IPCC reports.

The stark reality will hit home to those attending the Durban summit where it is hoped, though not expected, that a deal will be reached to start to reduce emissions. The data does show that those that signed up to Kyoto successfully reduced their emissions to eight per cent below 1990 levels, although some of the largest growing economies, that did not sign up are the ones producing the large increases, including China and the USA.

It will be essential to convince these large polluters to agree to significant cuts in emissions, as the effect of agreements like Kyoto hinge on the largest players to sign up.