According to the Little Green Data Book 2007, just published by the World Bank, global carbon dioxide emissions continue to rise, with the world producing 16% more CO2 in 2003.
The report further states that combined emissions from the combustion of fossil fuels and cement manufacturing now initiate in equal quantities from industrialised and the developing worlds. In 1960, low and middle income countries only accounted for one-third of the total world emissions.
The report states that emissions have been growing faster in the poorer countries, especially in East and South Asia. However, it says, the upward trend is also observed in high income countries.
The United States and Japan, with 20% and 15% rise respectively between in 1990 and 2003, show very high increase in carbon dioxide emissions while the European Monetary Union countries show a 3% rise. As a group, rich countries have shown serious digression from Kyoto commitments, which delineated an average reduction of 5.2% from 1990 levels by 2012. The only exception is constituted by the countries of Eastern Europe and Central Asia where emission levels have gone down due to the recession of 1990s.
Among the group of developing countries, the report shows that China and India stand out as major emitters. Emission levels in these two countries have increased by 73% and 88% respectively between 1990 and 2003.
Carbon dioxide emissions emit mostly from the combustion of fossil fuels and manufacture of cement which, the Little Green Book Data 2007 shows, is true for industrialized countries and fast developing countries like China and India.
In the developing countries, greenhouse gases emissions mainly originate from agriculture and land use changes ushered by deforestation. The Little Green Data Book 2007 shows that deforestation has been an essential characteristic of poorer countries.
Fossil fuels generate 66% of electricity worldwide. The share of fossil fuels in electricity generation is 93% in the Middle East and 82% in East Asia, the Pacific and South Asia.
Deforestation can be reduced only by providing electricity to the local communities which depend on fossil fuels for electricity. Better access to electricity will mean less usage of fuels. Moreover, use of biomass in the households cause acute respiratory infections among children and pulmonary diseases among women who mainly belong to the poor, rural class.
Source: greencarcongress