Recession did not cut back pollution: US agency

Jan 31, 2011
China made a major polluting leap as the worst global recession did little to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases Enlarge
Evening rush hour traffic on a hazy and polluted day in Beijing in 2010. The worst global recession in 80 years did little to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, and China made a major polluting leap.

The worst global recession in 80 years did little to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, and China made a major polluting leap, US figures showed on Monday.

According to data from the US Energy Information Administration, US carbon emissions dipped 8.18 percent in 2009 compared to 2006, while in China they jumped 32.5 percent.

For the planet as a whole, carbon emissions rose 5.2 percent in 2009 compared to 2006.

The global economic downturn began in 2007, and the recession officially ended in June 2009, experts have said.

China's emissions made up 4.7 times the total of France, and were just more than twice the amount sent into the by Germany.

India also saw a major jump of 24.9 percent in 2009 when compared to 2006 levels.

In Europe, emissions fell 8.6 percent.

The EIA figures accounted for C02 emissions from energy and fuel use but did not include emissions calculated from deforestation or emitted by livestock.

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User comments : 3

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omatumr
3 / 5 (3) Jan 31, 2011
That is remarkable.

So many factories in the once industrial West are closed and now we are told that pollution continues anyway.

GSwift7
not rated yet Feb 01, 2011
That is remarkable.

So many factories in the once industrial West are closed and now we are told that pollution continues anyway


That was a good one. I didn't look at it that way.

I wonder where the new numbers put China in terms of emissions per capita. That should bump them up a bit. I had a feeling they were being under-rated on that scale.

And EU and US co2 levels fell about the same. They had an expensive cap n trade system and we didn't. Same results. Hmmmm.
GSwift7
not rated yet Feb 01, 2011
I think the headline should have read:

Carbon trading markets did not cut back pollution: US agency

lol

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