Greenhouse emissions increasing again

While global carbon emissions fell by five percent between 1990 and 2006, they have risen again by 2.3 % in the past two years, according to a recent report on behalf of the UNFCCC (UN Framework Convention on Climate Change). The main reasons are the fast growth in emerging markets and depletion of primary forests. Industrialised countries that, under the Kyoto Protocol, have committed to reducing emissions did report a drop of 17 % between 1990 and 2000, but figures have since been rising again. Moreover, greenhouse emissions from emerging economies are becoming ever more significant.

The OECD is sounding the alarm too. Its recent “Environmental outlook to 2030” points out that long-term effects of climate change are likely to become catastrophic unless emissions are reduced. According to the document, the world economy will double despite investments in emission reductions.

Twenty percent of global emissions stem from the destruction of rainforests. While Brazil’s agrofuel lobby is pushing a law to allow further deforestation, Greenpeace is calling for a financing mechanism to make forest conservation more attractive. Greenpeace recently opened its first African office in Johannesburg and plans to set up further offices in Senegal and the Democratic Republic of Congo, which harbours the world’s fourth biggest rainforest.

In the meantime, Mohamed Nasheed, the president of the Maledives, told the London-based newspaper The Guardian that his country would begin to save tourism revenues. The money would serve to buy new territory elsewhere should that small island country be submerged by rising sea levels.