Highest rate of CO2 emissions growth since 1990

Between 1990 and 2005 Vietnam had the highest rate of emissions growth among countries that emitted more than 100 million tons of CO2 in any year during the past three decades, according to mongabay.com’s analysis of emissions data from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center (CDIAC).

Vietnam’s emissions from fossil fuel use, cement manufacturing, and gas flaring increased 376 percent from 5.8 million metric tons of carbon to 27.8 million tons between 1990 and 2005. Malaysia ranked second with a 224 percent increase.

China topped the rankings in terms of total carbon emissions growth over the period. China’s carbon emissions from fossil fuel combustion, cement manufacturing, and gas flaring increased by 875.7 million tons of carbon to 1.53 billion tons of carbon (5.62 billion tons CO2) in 2005. Most of the increase came from coal burning, which accounted for 1.116 billion tons of the country’s carbon emissions in 2005. China’s emissions have since climbed by another 25 percent to 1.923 billion tons of carbon in 2008, according to preliminary figures from CDIAC.

The biggest drop in emissions between 2000 and 2005 came in Germany, which reduced carbon emissions by 6.4 million tons of carbon or 3 percent of its total emissions. Belgium had the greatest rate of reduction at 7 percent over the period.

More data and rankings appear below.

Highest rate of carbon emissions growth, 1990-2005
Among major* emitters

Highest growth in carbon emissions 1990-2005
Among major* emitters

Highest rate of carbon emissions growth, 2000-2005
Among major* emitters

Highest growth in carbon emissions 2000-2005
Among major* emitters

Highest rate of carbon emissions growth, 1975-2005
Among major* emitters

Lowest rate of carbon emissions growth, 2000-2005
Among major* emitters

Lowest growth in carbon emissions 2000-2005
Among major* emitters

Top 10 carbon emitting countries in 1975
[thousand metric tons of carbon]

Top 10 carbon emitting countries in 1990
[thousand metric tons of carbon]

Top 10 carbon emitting countries in 2005
[thousand metric tons of carbon]

Top 10 carbon emitting countries in 2008
[thousand metric tons of carbon]

* Major emitters defined as any country with more than 100 million metric tons in CO2 emissions (27.3 million tons in carbon emissions) in any year since 1975.

(2) Prior to 1989, East and West Germany’s emissions are combined.

ALL COUNTRIES

Emissions in thousand metric tons of carbon (multiply by 3.667 to get CO2-equivalent)

Article published by Rhett Butler

Carbon Dioxide, Carbon Emissions, Environment, Green, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Pollution

China

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