The growth of CO 2 emissions slowed in 2012



GLOBAL emissions of carbon dioxide continued to rise in 2012, by 1.1%, but the rate of growth slowed sharply from the annual average rise of 2.9% seen since 2003. In China, which accounts for around a third of the world total, emissions rose by 3% compared with the annual 10% average of the past decade. The country's energy intensity per unit of GDP also fell, keeping it on track to meet the government's target of a reduction of energy intensity of 17% from 2010 to 2015. India's emissions rose by 7%. By contrast, rich countries continue to emit less. America's emissions fell by 4% following a continued shift from coal to gas in power production. The European Union's fell by 1.3% as it continued to suffer recession. Since 1990, the EU has reduced total emissions by almost 15% thanks to increased energy efficiency. Developing countries now account for almost half of cumulative global emissions compared with 31% in 1990. Over the next two decades or so, China will belch out nearly as much CO 2 as it did over the entire previous 160 years combined.