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
