Record: In 2013 global CO2 emissions exceed 35 billion tonnes for the first time

Muenster, Germany

At 35.1 billion tonnes, in 2013 about 670 million more tonnes of carbon dioxide from fossil fuels was blown into the atmosphere than in the previous year (2012: about 34.4 billion tonnes), as IWR, the Muenster-based renewable energy institute reported. This represents an increase of 1.9 percent and a continuous rise since the advent of the economic and financial crisis in 2009 (31.1 billion tonnes).

"The annual increase is apparently unstoppable, the year with the global CO₂ peak and therefore the turning point cannot yet be foreseen" stated IWR Director Dr. Norbert Allnoch in Muenster. China comes highest in the CO₂ ranking of countries at 9.5 billion tonnes (2012: 9.1 billion tonnes) ahead of the US at 5.9 billion tonnes (2012: 5.8 billion tonnes), India at 1.9 billion tonnes (2012: 1.8 billion tonnes) and Russia with 1.7 billion tonnes (2012: 1.7 billion tonnes). Japan took the fifth place at 1.4 billion tonnes (2012: 1.4 billion tonnes) ahead of Germany with 0.84 billion tonnes (2012: 0.82 billion tonnes). The IWR has computed the energy-related CO₂ emissions for 65 countries (https://www.cerina.org/co2-2013).

Background information The current global CO₂ trend shows that the annual growth in CO₂ emissions (approx. 400 to 800 million tonnes) is still continuing unabated. IWR has calculated that worldwide investments of EUR 560 billion a year are needed to compensate this annual increase through the use of renewable energy technologies. An investment model such as the CERINA plan (CO₂ Emissions and Renewable Investment Action Plan, https://www.cerina.org) would be more likely to mobilise climate protection in many countries and make up for the annual CO₂ increase than a limitation approach featuring penalties for non-compliance with agreed CO₂ reduction goals.

Source: IWR Online, 20 Aug 2014