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Rapid growth in CO2 emissions after the 2008–2009 global financial crisis

Nature Climate Change volume 2, pages 2–4 (2012)Cite this article

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Global carbon dioxide emissions from fossil-fuel combustion and cement production grew 5.9% in 2010, surpassed 9 Pg of carbon (Pg C) for the first time, and more than offset the 1.4% decrease in 2009. The impact of the 2008–2009 global financial crisis (GFC) on emissions has been short-lived owing to strong emissions growth in emerging economies, a return to emissions growth in developed economies, and an increase in the fossil-fuel intensity of the world economy.

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Figure 1: Global CO2 emissions and carbon intensity.
Figure 2: Historic CO2 emissions from 1990 to 2010 of developed (Annex B) and developing (non-Annex B) countries with emissions allocated to production/territorial (as in the Kyoto Protocol) and the consumption of goods and services (production plus imports minus exports).

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Acknowledgements

This work is a collaborative effort of the Global Carbon Project, a joint project of the Earth System Science Partnership, to provide regular analyses of the main global carbon sources and sinks (http://www.globalcarbonproject.org/carbonbudget/). We thank all people who contributed atmospheric CO2 measurements and model results to this effort. J. Karstensen (Center for International Climate and Environmental Research — Oslo) formatted the figures. T.B. and the Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center are supported by the US Department of Energy, Office of Science, Biological and Environmental Research. C.L.Q. thanks the UK Natural Environment Research Council and the European Commission for support. J.G.C. and M.R.R. thank the Australian Climate Change Science Program for support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for International Climate and Environmental Research – Oslo (CICERO), PO Box 1129 Blindern, Oslo, 0318, Norway

    Glen P. Peters

  2. Research Institute for Environment, Energy, and Economics, Appalachian State University, Boone, 28608, North Carolina, USA

    Gregg Marland

  3. Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK

    Corinne Le Quéré

  4. Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center (CDIAC), Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, 37831-6335, Tennessee, USA

    Thomas Boden

  5. Global Carbon Project, CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2601, Australia,

    Josep G. Canadell & Michael R. Raupach

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  1. Glen P. Peters
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  2. Gregg Marland
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  3. Corinne Le Quéré
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  4. Thomas Boden
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  6. Michael R. Raupach
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Correspondence to Glen P. Peters.

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Peters, G., Marland, G., Le Quéré, C. et al. Rapid growth in CO2 emissions after the 2008–2009 global financial crisis. Nature Clim Change 2, 2–4 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/nclimate1332

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