Ryan Pollin, ERS, for Zondits
The 2014 data has been combed, and greenhouse gas emissions in the European Union (yes, including the U.K.) were down 4.1% on the year and 24.4% below the 1990 baseline. The EU target enacted in 2009 called for a 20% cut by 2020, and they got there 6 years early! The next emissions milestone is a 40% reduction by 2030, but by the looks of their downward trend, they can do much better. Russia, which boasts significant carbon sinks in forested land, is already pressing for ratcheting up the target for the next decade. The 2020 goals also feature 20% improvement in energy efficiency, along with a minimum 20% of energy coming from renewables, and they are closing in on each of these targets as well.
[bctt tweet=”In the United States emissions are still higher than in 1990 and trending upwards.” username=”ZonditsEE”]
Meanwhile in the United States, emissions are still higher than in 1990 and trending upwards.
Cars buck downward trend of EU carbon emissions
The Guardian, June 21, 2016
Road transport has bucked a downward trend in European greenhouse gas emissions, growing by 17% between 1990 and 2014, at the same time that emissions from other sectors fell by almost a quarter.
Cars, vans and lorries reported the biggest absolute increase of any sector in CO2 emissions over the last 25 years, growing by 124 megatonnes (Mt), European Environment Agency (EEA) data published on Tuesday shows.
Volkswagen’s use of defeat devices to beat car emissions tests spotlighted the industry’s climate record last year, and was quickly followed by revelations of lobbying by EU governments to keep loopholes in CO2 tests.
However, the automobile sector is not alone in swimming against the green tide on emissions reductions. The EEA data shows CO2 pollution from aviation soared by a staggering 82% since 1990, with a 93Mt increase in emissions.