Carbon emissions are expected to post their biggest drop in more than 40 years

The International Energy Agency will announce this month that global carbon emissions are expected to post their biggest drop in more than 40 years. The reason behind this drop in carbon emissions is the decrease of industrial activity and trade around the world due to the economical downturn as well as some government’s action. IEA expects to see global carbon emissions fall 2.6 percent this year. However, an improving economy is expected to increase domestic carbon dioxide emissions 0.7 percent next year. According to the Energy Information Administration, Carbon dioxide emissions from the burning of energy sources account for 80 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States.


This news shows how human activity is decisive to climate change and how humans have the solution in their hands to make the economical changes needed. Economically as well as scientifically we have the tools available to resolve the problem of global warming or at least lighten the effects. We must start efficient production of renewable energy we will have to stop subsidizing the fuel industry and have the price of fossil reflect his real cost including health, environmental and military costs. Fuel prices must go up; our market economy is driven by short term-financial incentive while an alternative economy based on renewable energy would require efficient inter-temporal resource allocation. The massive investments made in fossil fuel infrastructures, the low cost policy of government to encourage industrial growth must be shift to break the unsustainable and uneconomically path of fossil fuel dependence.


The obligation and responsibility of governments is to signed international treaties to reduce emissions and create global institutions to deal with the emergency. There is a terrestrial dimension to climate change that we can’t ignore any longer. Human well-being is better served by controlling the accumulation in the atmosphere of Carbone dioxide and trace gases than letting climate becoming out of control.


Climate refugees, tribes in Amazonia, Inuit women infect by PCB and so much more challenges are to be addressed immediately. Global climate challenges are waiting for our policies to adjust. History will judge our actual governments on their action today because the actual changes made to climate by humans are unsustainable and are directly related to human health and well-being as well as the survival of future generations.


References:
Emissions of CO2 Set for Best Drop in 40 Years. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/22/science/earth/22emissions.html
Harris, J. (2006). Environmental and resource economics. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Berg, L.R., & Hager, M.C. (2009). Visualizing environmental science (2nd Ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.