Earth Policy Institute Resources on CARBON EMISSIONS

Carbon Emissions Indicator

Eco-Economy Indicators are twelve trends that the Earth Policy Institute tracks to measure progress in building an eco-economy. We track carbon emissions because as the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere rises, so too does the earth's temperature.

Global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from the burning of fossil fuels stood at a record 8.38 gigatons of carbon (GtC) in 2006, 20 percent above the level in 2000. Emissions grew 3.1 percent a year between 2000 and 2006, more than twice the rate of growth during the 1990s. Carbon dioxide emissions have been growing steadily for 200 years, since fossil fuel burning began on a large scale at the start of the Industrial Revolution. But the growth in emissions is now accelerating despite unambiguous evidence that carbon dioxide is warming the planet and disrupting ecosystems around the globe. MORE...


Key Data Related to CARBON EMISSIONS:

Global Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Fossil Fuel Burning, 1751-2006 (figure and table)

Global Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Fossil Fuel Burning, 1950-2006 (figure)

Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Fossil Fuel Burning in Top Ten Countries, 2006 (figure and table)

Carbon Dioxide Emissions Per Person for Top Ten Countries and the World, 2006 (table)

Global Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Fossil Fuel Burning by Sector, 2004 (figure and table)

Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Land Use Change and Forestry in Top Ten Countries, 2000 (table)

Atmospheric Concentration of Carbon Dioxide, 1000-2007 (figure and table)

2006 Carbon Emissions Indicator

2004 Carbon Emissions Indicator

From the Eco-Economy Updates:

Timeline for The Beginning of the End for Coal (2 April 2008)

U.S. Moving Toward Ban on New Coal-Fired Power Plants (14 February 2008)

Is World Oil Production Peaking? (15 November 2007)

Ban the Bulb: Worldwide Shift from Incandescents to Compact Fluorescents Could Close 270 Coal-Fired Power Plants (9 May 2007)

The Earth Is Shrinking: Advancing Deserts and Rising Seas Squeezing Civilization (15 November 2006)

Hurricane Damages Soar to New Levels: Insurance Companies Abandoning Homeowners in High-Risk Coastal Areas (29 August 2006)

Global Warming Forcing U.S. Coastal Population to Move Inland: An Estimated 250,000 Katrina Evacuees are Now Climate Refugees (16 August 2006)

Let's Raise Gas Taxes and Lower Income Taxes (11 May 2006)

U.S. Mayors Respond to Washington Leadership Vacuum on Climate Change (3 May 2006)

Wind Energy Demand Booming: Cost Dropping Below Conventional Sources Marks Key Milestone in U.S. Shift to Renewable Energy (22 March 2006)

Coal Takes Heavy Human Toll (24 August 2004)

Saudis Have U.S. Over a Barrel (14 April 2004)

Europe Leading World Into Age of Wind Energy (8 April 2004)

Glaciers and Sea Ice Endangered by Rising Temperatures (22 January 2004)

Coal: U.S. Promotes While Canada and Europe Move Beyond (3 December 2003)

Wind Power Set to Become World's Leading Energy Source (25 June 2003)

Global Temperature Near Record for 2002 (11 December 2002)

Air Pollution Fatalities Now Exceed Traffic Fatalities by 3 to 1 (17 September 2002)

Restructuring Taxes to Protect the Environment (25 July 2002)

Earth's Ice Melting Faster Than Projected (12 March 2002)

World Wind Generating Capacity Jumps 31 Percent in 2001 (8 January 2002)

This Year May be Second Warmest on Record (18 December 2001)

From The Earth Policy Reader

by Lester R. Brown, Janet Larsen, and
Bernie Fischlowitz-Roberts

Chapter 1 - The Economic Costs of Ecological Deficits: Facing the Climate Challenge

The Rising Costs of Climate Change
Restructuring the Energy Economy
Building the Wind Hydrogen Economy
Fixing the Market