2017
The Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center (CDIAC), located at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Oak Ridge National Laboratory, has published annual Carbon Emissions from Fossil Fuels and cement production by country since 1959 (‘Global Carbon Project‘), but now this continuous time series has come to an end and 2015 will be the last data-year (as it seems).
Since carbon emissions data from CDIAC (Global Carbon Project) is the core ‘Indicator‘ in ClimatePositions’ calculation of Climate Debt, carbon emissions data will be replaced with nearly similar data from ‘EDGAR‘ (‘European Commission‘ / ‘Climate Action‘), retroactively since 1990, in connection with the coming updates [done 16-08-2017].
The following describes the differences between CO2 Emissions data from Global Carbon Project (CDIAC) and EDGAR (sourced: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC)/Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (PBL). Emission Database for Global Atmospheric Research (EDGAR)), and the consequences in terms of Climate Debt in ClimatePositions – illustrated with a range of country examples. Note that other sources, such as ‘IEA‘, ‘EIA‘ and ‘BP‘, provides CO2 Emissions data-sets different from the ones of CDIAC and EDGAR.
Before proceeding, the table below shows the ten largest CO2 emitters in terms of 1) Per capita Climate Debt calculated with CDIAC’s CO2 Emissions data (the current) with the per capita CO2 Emissions 2015 in brackets, and 2) Per capita Climate Debt calculated with EDGAR’s CO2 Emissions data (the coming) with the per capita CO2 Emissions 2015 in brackets. Increased Climate Debt with EDGAR is red and decreased is green. Note that the Climate Debts are calculated on the bases of emissions-data from 1990s (baseline), in comparison with emissions-data since 2000.
. |
Largest CO2 Emitters (2015) |
CDIAC |
EDGAR |
. |
. |
. |
. |
1. |
China |
$786 (7.5) |
$881 (7.7) |
2. |
United States |
$6,973 (15.8) |
$6,878 (16.1) |
3. |
India |
$3 (1.7) |
$7 (1.9) |
4. |
Russia |
$1,779 (12.0) |
$1,854 (12.3) |
5. |
Japan |
$2,385 (9.3) |
$2,536 (9.9) |
6. |
Germany |
$1,892 (8.8) |
$2,188 (9.6) |
7. |
Iran |
$1,462 (8.2) |
$1,340 (8.0) |
8. |
Saudi Arabia |
$8,545 (19.0) |
$7,163 (16.0) |
9. |
South Korea |
$4,520 (11.7) |
$4,911 (12.3) |
10. |
Indonesia |
$130 (2.1) |
$115 (2.0) |
The differences in national CO2 Emissions at CDIAC and EDGAR are caused by numerous complex explanations. The list below is neither adequate nor scientifically profound, but it gives a sense of the comprehensive scientific disputes and uncertainties behind the final figures.
The next table shows the ten largest per capita CO2 emitters (again) in terms of 1) Per capita Climate Debt calculated with CDIAC’s emissions data (per capita CO2 Emissions 2015 in brackets), and 2) Per capita Climate Debt calculated with EDGAR’s emissions data (per capita CO2 Emissions 2015 in brackets).
One country-example explained: The reason why the accumulated per capita Climate Debt of United Arab Emirates decreases after shifting to EDGAR although CO2 Emissions is higher, is that the average emissions between 2000 and 2015 has decreased more in comparison with 1990s (baseline), than it has with CDIAC’s data-set.
. |
Largest per capita CO2 Emitters (2015) |
CDIAC |
EDGAR |
. |
. |
. |
. |
1. |
Qatar |
$54,640 (40.6) |
$58,361 (39.7) |
2. |
Trinidad and Tobago |
$14,040 (33.3) |
$12,285 (25.9) |
3. |
Kuwait |
$25,386 (26.1) |
$28,444 (24.4) |
4. |
Bahrain |
$7,182 (24.1) |
$3,499 (16.1) |
5. |
Brunei |
$15,648 (21.6) |
$16,727 (19.5) |
6. |
United Arab Emirates |
$10,800 (19.3) |
$7,354 (21.8) |
7. |
Saudi Arabia |
$8,545 (19.0) |
$7,163 (16.0) |
8. |
Luxembourg |
$14,090 (18.1) |
$12,658 (18.0) |
9. |
Turkmenistan |
$1,706 (16.9) |
$1,904 (17.5) |
10. |
Australia |
$6,509 (16.1) |
$8,248 (18.6) |
The table below shows the ten countries with the largest per capita Climate Debt. Among these extremely climate-destroying countries only Bahrain benefit significantly from the shift to EDGAR.
. |
Largest per capita Climate Debt |
CDIAC |
EDGAR |
. |
. |
. |
. |
1. |
Qatar |
$54,640 (40.6) |
$58,361 (39.7) |
2. |
Kuwait |
$25,386 (26.1) |
$28,444 (24.4) |
3. |
Brunei |
$15,648 (21.6) |
$16,727 (19.5) |
4. |
Trinidad and Tobago |
$14,040 (33.3) |
$12,285 (25.9) |
5. |
Luxembourg |
$14,090 (18.1) |
$12,658 (18.0) |
6. |
United Arab Emirates |
$10,800 (19.3) |
$7,354 (21.8) |
7. |
Oman |
$9,144 (14.1) |
$10,952 (17.5) |
8. |
Saudi Arabia |
$8,545 (19.0) |
$7,163 (16.0) |
9. |
Bahrain |
$7,182 (24.1) |
$3,499 (16.1) |
10. |
United States |
$6,973 (15.8) |
$6,878 (16.1) |
The last table shows ten countries with significant change in per capita Climate Debt after shifting the data-source. Singapore goes from “good” to “very bad” (although lower 2015-emissions with EDGAR) because emissions with EDGAR was 2.2 tons higher (than with CDIAC) in 1990s (baseline) and therefore must reduce emissions at an even steeper rate.
Significant changes in per capita Climate Debt |
CDIAC |
EDGAR |
. |
. |
. |
Bahrain |
$7,182 (24.1) |
$3,499 (16.1) |
United Arab Emirates |
$10,800 (19.3) |
$7,354 (21.8) |
Equatorial Guinea |
$4,507 (7.6) |
$1,664 (2.6) |
Singapore |
$0 (9.9) |
$2,708 (8.7) |
Estonia |
$2,193 (15.0) |
$3,146 (22.3) |
Mongolia |
$980 (15.3) |
$269 (5.6) |
Sweden |
$1.191 (4.4) |
$874 (4.3) |
Iraq |
$412 (4.7) |
$120 (4.4) |
Suriname |
$198 (4.0) |
$379 (4,3) |
Macedonia |
$135 (4.0) |
$245 (4.7) |
¹Source: ‘http://edgar.jrc.ec.europa.eu/news_docs/jrc-2014-trends-in-global-co2-emissions-2014-report-93171.pdf‘ (Table 2.3).
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