According to a new international study, the planet earth has breathed nicely. There has been no increase in worldwide carbon emission level for the year 2016, that’s now 3 years in a row. The report comes from climate researchers, Global Carbon Project and the University of East Anglia(UAE).
The report cited a meager 0.2 percent rise in carbon dioxide emissions from industry and burning fossil fuels from 2015 to 2016. Hence, the worldwide emissions remained flat at 36.4 billion metric tons, making it the third consecutive year with negligible change, researchers said.
Is this permanent trend or temporary change?
The researchers behind the study revealed it would be too early to draw conclusions if the world has reached a peak in carbon emission decline. They believed it might be a temporary blip too rather than a permanent trend.
On the other hand, similar experts on the subject are quite optimistic of this change and believed this to be the turning point we all hoped for.
“Here we have the first signs that they are at least starting to loosen,” said Professor David Reay from the University of Edinburgh. He believes that fight against climate change, the bonds between carbon emissions growth and economic gains must be broken.
Who are the frontiers in this development?
Here’s a surprise for all of us. The biggest driving force behind this change is attributed to China, where consumption of coal has decreased significantly from 2012. And as we all know coal is a major source of carbon dioxide emissions.
Glen Peters, co-author of the study said, “So far the slowdown has been driven by China,”.
While China was at the forefront, India is among the countries where carbon dioxide emission increased in 2015.
And now that Donal Trump has been elected as the President of USA, things might change with this pro-coal opinion. To him, all this climate change is a hoax.
In any case, Peters believe that a tap should be kept on carbon emissions and a regular watch for next few years will settle the matter.