Growth rate of carbon emissions increasing

News Article - 23 May 2012
Category: Environment

The global carbon emissions measurement is continuing to get higher, according to research from the Global Carbon Project (GCP).

At the end of last year, atmospheric CO2 concentrations were 383ppm, meaning the speed of growth is around four times what it was before 2000, despite the Kyoto Protocol and effort to improve corporate social responsibility.

The GCP is a collection of academics in the field of climate from Europe and America.

"This new update of the carbon budget shows the acceleration of CO2 emissions and atmospheric accumulation are unprecedented and most astonishing during a decade of intense international developments to address climate change," said Dr Pep Canadell, GCP executive director.

However, a further move which will see additional carbon emissions reporting for businesses was voted for by the EU environment committee.

Despite pressure from the German manufacturing industry, helped by the chancellor, Angela Merkel, all new cars in the union will be required to cap emissions from 2012.

The manufacturers had been hoping to phase in the caps between 2012 and 2015.

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