The International Energy Agency released preliminary data from 2015 regarding countries’ respective GDP and CO2 emissions, noting that even in China and the US, GDP has increased as reported CO2 emissions have decreased (1). Although, the IEA must rely on voluntary emissions reporting, and many Chinese firms have allegedly intentionally understated their CO2 emissions, so that the data may not be entirely accurate (2). Likewise, the IEA’s report solely measures CO2 emissions, but methane accounts for about a quarter of current global warming. As countries continue to replace coal with natural gas, methane emissions are projected to increase even as CO2 emissions decrease (3). Politically, the IEA’s report is great news, since the seemingly unfounded fear among many politicians is that the economy must suffer in order to regulate GHG emissions, but I wish the IEA’s report measured CO2 equivalent instead of just CO2.
- http://www.iea.org/newsroomandevents/pressreleases/2016/march/decoupling-of-global-emissions-and-economic-growth-confirmed.html?referrer=justicewire
- https://www.edf.org/energy/rhodium-group-report-global-oil-gas-methane-emissions?_ga=1.124289551.444806405.1460316108
- http://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-power-emissions-idUSKCN0UV0XS