A comprehensive analysis of the total amount of carbon emitted since the start of the Industrial Revolution shows which countries are most responsible for climate change, writes MTI.
– According to a recent study by the British analytical group Carbon Brief, which estimates that humanity has released about 2.5 trillion tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. This means that less than 500 gigatons of carbon dioxide could be released into the atmosphere in the future to meet the Paris Climate Agreement’s main goal of keeping global warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius, according to the research group’s website.
Their analysis covers not only the carbon footprint of fossil fuels and cement production, but also, for the first time this year, the carbon footprint resulting from deforestation and land use change.
Over the past 170 years, the United States has been the largest emitter of carbon dioxide, with 509 gigatons, accounting for 20 percent of global emissions.
China ranks second with 282 gigatons (11 percent) and Russia is in third place with 172 gigatons (6.9 percent). Fourth Brazil emitted 113 GtCO2 (4.5 percent) and fifth Indonesia 103 GtCO2 (4.1 percent). The latter two were among the top ten due to the large-scale emissions from deforestation and land use change.
India ranks sixth with 85 gigatons (3.4 percent), followed by the United Kingdom with emissions of 74.9 gigatons (3 percent). Among the top ten are Japan with emissions of 66.7 gigatons (2.7 percent) and Canada with 65 gigatons (2.6 percent).
There is a direct link between the 2,500 billion tons of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere since 1850 and the 1.2 degree warming we are already seeing. Our new analysis sheds important light on the people and countries most responsible for our planet’s warming,” he said. Simon Evans, an analyst at Carbon Brief. “CO2 from deforestation and land use change cannot be ignored, accounting for about a third of all emissions since 1850,” he added.
