Global carbon dioxide emissions, 1970-2001

Developments in global carbon dioxide emissions

In 2001, total global anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions rose by less than 1% (this is an estimate); emissions in 2000 rose by more than 2%. This increase is primarily accounted for by an increase in annual coal use of approximately 2% during these years. In the period from 1990 to 2001, total carbon dioxide emissions rose by about 13%, the same rate as in previous years.

Contribution of individual sectors to global carbon dioxide emissions

The largest continuous rise in emissions was from electricity production and road transport: 150% over the last thirty years and almost 30% during the last ten years. Emissions from cement production have increased even faster. carbon dioxideemissions from road traffic account for approximately three quarters of total global carbon dioxide transport emissions. However, carbon dioxide emissions from international aviation and shipping have increased by a quarter in the last decade, with emissions from aviation increasing by more than 110% over the last 30 years.
Combustion emissions from industry - excluding refineries - and the household/services sector have remained remarkably stable over the years (after the filtering out of variations reflecting changes in economic trends). In the 1990s, global emissions from these sectors actually fell by 9 and 5% respectively. Industrial combustion emissions fell by a few percentage points in the 1990s in the OECD countries and in China; the fall in the former Soviet Union was actually more than 50%. However, combustion emissions increased by a quarter in the rest of Asia and in Latin America.
Although the direct carbon dioxide emissions from combustion in the consumer/services sector and the industry sector have remained virtually constant over the last 25 years, the total carbon dioxide emissions that can be allocated to the activities of these sectors - in other words including the indirect emissions as a result of electricity consumption - have also increased in these sectors.

Policy

carbon dioxide emissions are covered by the UN Climate Treaty. carbon dioxide is the main greenhouse gas covered by the Kyoto Protocol. This protocol requires most industrialised countries, including those of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union, to limit their emissions of greenhouse gases in 2010 to the 1990 level.

Climate change: policy

Relevance

The UN Climate Treaty and the Kyoto Protocol include agreements about reducing emissions of carbon dioxide. The Protocol comes into effect when at least 55 countries ratify it and the carbon dioxide emissions of the ratifying industrialised countries in 1990 account for at least 55% of the total carbon dioxide emissions of all industrialised countries (the 'Annex I' countries). On 22 July 2002, that percentage was 36%.

Technical note

carbon dioxide emissions from the combustion of fossil energy are the actual annual emissions; in other words they have not been corrected for temperature.

See also the Statistics Netherlands definition in 'carbon dioxide emissions explained' for an extensive discussion of various methods for determining CO2 emissions.

the figures are based on data from the International Energy Agency, with the exception of the provisional estimate for 2001, which is based on energy data from British Petroleum (BP). Carbon dioxide emissions caused by deforestation are not the actual emissions; they are based on the multi-year trend for each country. It has been assumed for the time being that the emissions after 1995 were at the same level as in 1995.

References

IEA (2002). CO₂emissions from fossil fuel combustion 1971-2000. 2002 Edition. International Energy Agency (IEA), Paris.

Olivier, J.G.J., J.J.M. Berdowski, J.A.H.W. Peters, J. Bakker, A.J.H. Visschedijk and J.-P.J. Bloos (2001). Applications of EDGAR. Including a description of EDGAR 3.0: reference database with trend data for 1970-1995. RIVM (report no. 773 301 001/NOP report no. 410 200 051), Bilthoven.

Olivier, J.G.J. and J.J.M. Berdowski (2001). Global emissions sources and sinks. In: Berdowski, J., R. Guicherit and B.J. Heij (eds.) "The Climate System", pp. 33-78. A.A. Balkema Publishers/Swets & Zeitlinger Publishers, Lisse, The Netherlands. ISBN 90 5809 255 0.

Relevant information outside of the Environmental Data Compendium

An extensive reference database - 'EDGAR 3' with global emissions of greenhouse gases by country for the period 1970-1995 - can be found on the website of the RIVM.

Detailed international statistics with global energy production and sectoral energy use by country and carbon dioxide emissions from the combustion of fossil fuels for the period 1960/1971-2000 can be found on the website of the International Energy Branch in Paris.

Concise but up-to-date international statistics with global energy production and use by country and by energy carrier for the period 1965/70/80 to 2001 (inclusive) can be found in the BP Statistical Review of World Energy, which is available on the Internet (in PDF and Excel files).

Information about the official greenhouse gas emissions reported by countries can be found on the website of the UN Climate Secretariat.

Information about future global developments can be found in the Global Environmental Outlook 3, on which RIVM also collaborated.

Information about current and future developments relating to the Kyoto Protocol can be found in Environmental Balance 2002 and National Environmental Outlook 2000-2030, both of which are RIVM publications.