Are Rich Countries Most Polluting Ones?

Emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) from industrialised countries increased in 2007, continuing the upward trend of the previous six years, according to data submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

The data showed that GHG emissions - which are leading to climate change - of 40 industrialised countries rose by a percent from 2006 to 2007, a UNFCCC spokesperson said.

The 2007 emissions of this group of countries were about four percent below 1990 levels. But there was overall a three percent growth in emissions from 2000 to 2007.

For the 37 industrialised countries that have mandatory emission reduction targets under the Kyoto Protocol, emissions in 2007 were almost the same as in 2006, a rise of 0.1 percent. This was around 16 percent below the 1990 baseline decided by the protocol.

However, much of this reduction comes from the decline of economies in transition in eastern and central Europe in the 1990s, the spokesperson pointed out. Since 2000, the emissions of this group have also grown three percent.

"The continuing growth of emissions from industrialised countries remains worrying, despite the expectation of a momentary dip brought about by the global recession," said UNFCCC Executive Secretary Yvo de Boer. "So the numbers for 2007 underscore, once again, the urgent need to seal a comprehensive, fair and effective climate change deal in Copenhagen in December."