China, India lead rise in CO2 emissions

UNITED NATIONS – The booming economies of China and India helped to drive up global greenhouse gas emissions by 15 per cent over 1992-2002, the World Bank said Tuesday.

In its annual ‘Little Green Data Book’, the World Bank said industrialised nations led by the United States continue to be the worst offenders for emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2). But developing nations, particularly China and India, are producing an ever-greater share of CO2 emissions and so contributing to the trapping of heat-retaining gases in the Earth’s atmosphere.”This reality shows us that we need to find creative ways to engage all major economies of the world to solve a global problem such as climate change,” said Steen Jorgensen, the World Bank’s acting vice president for sustainable development.The report, which was launched at a UN meeting on sustainable development, said CO2 emissions worldwide topped 24 billion tonnes in 2002, the last year for which comprehensive data are available.That is an increase of 15 per cent compared to the levels in 1992.The United States contributed 24 per cent of total emissions and the 12 nations of Europe’s eurozone emitted 10 per cent.From 2000 to 2002, global CO2 emissions increased by 2.5 per cent annually, and about two-thirds of that increase came from low- and middle-income countries.China, which is already the second largest polluter behind the United States, increased its emissions by 33 per cent between 1992 and 2002.India’s emissions grew 57 per cent in the same period.”This trend will likely continue as economic activity grows,” the World Bank report warned.”All countries are vulnerable to climate change,” said Warren Evans, the World Bank’s environment director.”But the poorest countries are the most exposed, and have the least means to adapt to it.Climate change may hamper efforts to reduce poverty in agriculture-dependent countries in Africa and low-lying coastal areas.”Climate-proofing development initiatives is an urgent need in order to avoid human disasters,” he said.- Nampa-AFPBut developing nations, particularly China and India, are producing an ever-greater share of CO2 emissions and so contributing to the trapping of heat-retaining gases in the Earth’s atmosphere.”This reality shows us that we need to find creative ways to engage all major economies of the world to solve a global problem such as climate change,” said Steen Jorgensen, the World Bank’s acting vice president for sustainable development.The report, which was launched at a UN meeting on sustainable development, said CO2 emissions worldwide topped 24 billion tonnes in 2002, the last year for which comprehensive data are available.That is an increase of 15 per cent compared to the levels in 1992.The United States contributed 24 per cent of total emissions and the 12 nations of Europe’s eurozone emitted 10 per cent.From 2000 to 2002, global CO2 emissions increased by 2.5 per cent annually, and about two-thirds of that increase came from low- and middle-income countries.China, which is already the second largest polluter behind the United States, increased its emissions by 33 per cent between 1992 and 2002.India’s emissions grew 57 per cent in the same period.”This trend will likely continue as economic activity grows,” the World Bank report warned.”All countries are vulnerable to climate change,” said Warren Evans, the World Bank’s environment director.”But the poorest countries are the most exposed, and have the least means to adapt to it.Climate change may hamper efforts to reduce poverty in agriculture-dependent countries in Africa and low-lying coastal areas.”Climate-proofing development initiatives is an urgent need in order to avoid human disasters,” he said.- Nampa-AFP