Recession did not cut back pollution: US agency
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 atmosphere 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 methane emitted by livestock.
(c) 2011 AFP