Growth of global emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) from consumption of oil, coal and gas, and from cement production have come down by half in 2008 because of oil price hike, recession and the increased use of renewable energy sources such as biofuels and wind energy. These figures are released by the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (PBL), using energy data from BP (British Petroleum).
Global CO2 emissions increased from 15.3 billion tonnes in 1970, to 22.5 billion tonnes in 1990 and 31.5 billion tonnes in 2008. This represents an increase of 41 per cent since 1990.
For the first time in history, while the world is preparing for the UN climate summit in Copenhagen, the share of global CO2 emissions from developing countries is slightly higher (50.3 per cent) than from industrialised countries (46.6 per cent) and international transport (3.2 per cent) together.
The lower increase in CO2 emissions was mainly due to a decrease in global fossil oil consumption of about 0.6 per cent, the first global decrease since 1992. Oil consumption dropped significantly in the US, where petrol prices almost doubled in the summer of 2008, compared to 2007 levels, showing a 7 per cent decrease.
In China, oil consumption increased by three per cent in 2008, according to BP data, which was down from five per cent in 2007 and 8 per cent, on average, since 2001.
Increasing use of biofuels, such as bioethanol and biodiesel, contributed about 0.3 percentage points to the global decrease.
Global emissions from coal consumption increased by 3.5 per cent. Globally, three quarters of coal consumption is used for electricity production and one quarter for iron and steel production. Steel production, particularly, showed a smaller worldwide increase of two per cent in 2008, versus about 8 per cent in the years since 2002.
This resulted in a large slowdown of steel production in China and a decrease in the US. In Europe, emissions from large industries showed a three per cent decrease in 2008, largely caused by a decrease in power plant emissions. The trend in global CO2 emissions from the use of natural gas, which increased by almost three per cent in 2008, did not show large differences compared to previous years.
Impact of renewables
Finally, the increasing use of new renewable energy sources begins to have a significant impact on the global trend in CO2 emissions. In the US and the European Union, the share of ethanol fuel and biodiesel in road transport fuel increased by about one per cent.
Biofuels are increasingly being used as transport fuel in China. In 2008, biofuels contributed about 2.5 per cent to global fuel consumption in road transport, representing a gross saving of over 100 million tonnes in CO2 emissions.
The production of wind energy is increasing at very high rates. In 2008, global production capacity increased by almost 30 per cent, with increases in China and the US of about 100 per cent and 50 per cent, respectively.
In 2008, new power generation investments in renewables were greater than investments in fossil-fuelled technologies.
Excluding large-scale hydropower, renewables contributed 4.4 per cent to global power generation, a half per cent more than in 2007, thereby averting about 500 million tonnes of CO2 emissions in 2008.
In total, CO2 emissions from the US and the European Union decreased by about 3per cent and 1.5per cent , respectively, in 2008, Although China’s emissions showed an increase of 6per cent , this is the lowest increase since 2001.
Smaller contributions to increasing global emissions were made by India and Russia, with increases of seven per cent and two per cent, respectively.
Carbon dioxide is the most important greenhouse gas, contributing about three-quarters to global greenhouse gases. In 2008, for the first time ever, the share of CO2 emissions from developing countries of 50.3 per cent was only just above those from industrialised countries (46.6 per cent) and international transport (3.2 per cent ), together.
Global CO2 emissions increased from 15.3 billion tonnes in 1970, to 22.5 billion tonnes in 1990 and 31.5 billion tonnes in 2008. This represents an increase of 41 per cent since 1990.
For the first time in history, while the world is preparing for the UN climate summit in Copenhagen, the share of global CO2 emissions from developing countries is slightly higher (50.3 per cent) than from industrialised countries (46.6 per cent) and international transport (3.2 per cent) together.
The lower increase in CO2 emissions was mainly due to a decrease in global fossil oil consumption of about 0.6 per cent, the first global decrease since 1992. Oil consumption dropped significantly in the US, where petrol prices almost doubled in the summer of 2008, compared to 2007 levels, showing a 7 per cent decrease.
In China, oil consumption increased by three per cent in 2008, according to BP data, which was down from five per cent in 2007 and 8 per cent, on average, since 2001.
Increasing use of biofuels, such as bioethanol and biodiesel, contributed about 0.3 percentage points to the global decrease.
Global emissions from coal consumption increased by 3.5 per cent. Globally, three quarters of coal consumption is used for electricity production and one quarter for iron and steel production. Steel production, particularly, showed a smaller worldwide increase of two per cent in 2008, versus about 8 per cent in the years since 2002.
This resulted in a large slowdown of steel production in China and a decrease in the US. In Europe, emissions from large industries showed a three per cent decrease in 2008, largely caused by a decrease in power plant emissions. The trend in global CO2 emissions from the use of natural gas, which increased by almost three per cent in 2008, did not show large differences compared to previous years.
Impact of renewables
Finally, the increasing use of new renewable energy sources begins to have a significant impact on the global trend in CO2 emissions. In the US and the European Union, the share of ethanol fuel and biodiesel in road transport fuel increased by about one per cent.
Biofuels are increasingly being used as transport fuel in China. In 2008, biofuels contributed about 2.5 per cent to global fuel consumption in road transport, representing a gross saving of over 100 million tonnes in CO2 emissions.
The production of wind energy is increasing at very high rates. In 2008, global production capacity increased by almost 30 per cent, with increases in China and the US of about 100 per cent and 50 per cent, respectively.
In 2008, new power generation investments in renewables were greater than investments in fossil-fuelled technologies.
Excluding large-scale hydropower, renewables contributed 4.4 per cent to global power generation, a half per cent more than in 2007, thereby averting about 500 million tonnes of CO2 emissions in 2008.
In total, CO2 emissions from the US and the European Union decreased by about 3per cent and 1.5per cent , respectively, in 2008, Although China’s emissions showed an increase of 6per cent , this is the lowest increase since 2001.
Smaller contributions to increasing global emissions were made by India and Russia, with increases of seven per cent and two per cent, respectively.
Carbon dioxide is the most important greenhouse gas, contributing about three-quarters to global greenhouse gases. In 2008, for the first time ever, the share of CO2 emissions from developing countries of 50.3 per cent was only just above those from industrialised countries (46.6 per cent) and international transport (3.2 per cent ), together.
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