Energy emissions rise

Global emissions of carbon dioxide from energy use rose last year at the fastest rate since 1969, according to the 2011 edition of BP’s statistical review of world energy. The rise was driven by an increase in energy consumption, especially in emerging economies.

Global energy consumption rose by 5.6% in 2010, the highest rate since 1973, outstripping economic output, which grew by 4.9%. Energy consumption in developed countries grew by 3.5%, while in developing countries it grew by 7.5%. In China, energy consumption rose by 11.2%, as China overtook the US to become the world’s largest energy consumer.

Christof Rühl, BP’s chief economist, on a visit to Brussels yesterday (22 June), said that energy intensity – the amount of energy used for one unit of economic output – had risen by the fastest rate since 1970. He attributed this to growth in developing countries, whose consumption is more energy-intensive than in rich countries. Developing countries now account for more than half of global energy consumption.

The review said that the data on consumption “implies that global CO2 emissions from fossil-fuel consumption will also have grown strongly last year”.

According to the European Commission, greenhouse-gas emissions in the EU rose by 3% in 2010 compared to the previous year, but remain below the limit set for 2008-12.

Deal blocked

This week, Poland blocked an attempt by the EU’s environment ministers to explore ways to increase the EU’s target for reducing greenhouse-gas emissions.

Poland rejected a text saying that the EU would look at increasing the amount by which it should, by 2020, reduce its emissions compared to 1990 levels, from 20% to 25%. The 25% was an attempt to find a compromise between a group of countries, including Germany, Sweden and the UK, which want to increase the target to 30%, and others that want to stick to 20%.