CARBON DIOXIDE EMISSION (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Env & Eco)

Context: According to new analysis by research organisation Oil Change International. Just 20 countries in the world, led by the United States, would be responsible for nearly 90 per cent of the carbon dioxide emissions through 2050.

Key Points of Report

• Five countries in the global north — the United States, Canada, Australia, Norway and the United Kingdom — would contribute the majority of emissions through 2050.

oThese countries with the greatest economic means to rapidly phase out oil and gas production would contribute to 51 per cent of the planned oil and gas explorations.

• Five countries, the nations in the top 20 ‘planet wreckers’ include Russia, China, Iran, Brazil, UAE, Iraq, Turkmenistan, Saudi Arabia, Guyana, Qatar, Argentina, Mexico, Nigeria, India and Kazakhstan.
• According to the report: If the 20 countries allow this scale of new oil and gas extraction, it could become impossible to hold global temperature rise to the 1.5° Celsius limit.
• UAE is also set to be one of the largest oil and gas production expanders despite pledging to use its COP28 presidency to “keep 1.5°C alive.

Carbon Dioxide Emission

• About: CO2 is a greenhouse gas that is released into the atmosphere when fossil fuels are burned, such as coal, oil, and natural gas.

oCO2 emissions are the primary cause of climate change.

• Sources of CO2 emissions: Electricity generation, Transportation, Industry, Agriculture, Forestry etc.
• CO2 emissions can be reduced by: Using renewable energy sources, Improving energy efficiency, Switching to electric vehicles, Reducing deforestation, Planting trees, carbon capture and storage.