Carbon dioxide emissions are one of the main greenhouse gases responsible for climate change. They come from burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas, as well as from manufacturing processes and land-use changes.
In 2018, global emissions reached a record high of 37.1 billion tonnes – up 1.5% on the previous year. This is equivalent to around 10 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide (GtCO2) being released into the atmosphere every year.
The majority of emissions come from just a handful of countries: China, the United States, India, Russia and Brazil accounted for 60% of the total in 2018. The good news is that some countries are making progress in reducing their emissions. Between 2010 and 2018, Europe’s emissions fell by 23%, while those in the United States declined by 15%.
There are many ways to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, including switching to renewable energy sources such as solar or wind power, improving energy efficiency in buildings and industrial processes, and planting trees which absorb CO2 from the atmosphere. International cooperation is also essential in tackling this global problem – for example, through agreements such as the Paris Climate Change Agreement.