US Carbon emissions rockets

New figures released this week by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) confirmed that American greenhouse gas emissions during 2004 increased with a record 1.7%.

While methane and Nitrous oxide levels had actually decreased from 1990 emission levels by 10% for methane and 2% for nitrous oxide, the overall increase in emissions was caused by an increase in carbon dioxide emissions - due to fuel and electricity consumption.

The 1.7% rise is equivalent to an additional 110 million metric tons - of which 85% is linked to carbon dioxide emissions and the burning of fossil fuel.

Professor David Read, vice-president of the Royal Society, was 'alarmed' by the new data. Atmospheric CO2 levels are reaching a new pre-industrial peak not observed the last 8-10 million years.

Professor Read believes that the US and UK must start to take their international climate obligations seriously and aim to achieve the target of cutting emissions with 60% by 2050, though this is no longer likely to happen.

With climate change expected to taking hold in the next 10-15 years, the world's poorest and richest countries will longer term struggle to cope with rising sea levels, shifting weather patters that may lead to falling crop yields and water shortage in many parts of the world.