Within the last 40 years emissions have stood still or fallen only 3 times.
In all three previous cases, (early 80s, 92 and 2009) there was economic weakness globally. In 2014 however, the global economy expanded by 3 per cent.
This is significant as it showed that 2014 was the first time in 40 years in which there was a halt or reduction in emissions of the greenhouse gas that was not tied to an economic downturn.
Statistics showing a stall in global emissions of carbon dioxide from the energy sector are welcome but give no reason for complacency said Oisín Coghlan – Director of Friends of the Earth Ireland
These new figures are good news and show that policies that reduced emissions did work.
Mr Coghlan noted that the figures had been accurately described as “not so much a step in the right direction, as an end to stepping in the wrong direction”.
Mr Coghlan noted that the US and China did a deal last year which is seen as being significant for the mere fact of them agreeing to a deal.
China has since not been expanding coal as fast as previously and are instead expanding their renewables.
Fatih Birol – Chief Economist at the IEA described the statistics as being significant.
He said “It provides much-needed momentum to negotiators preparing to forge a global climate deal in Paris in December. For the first time, greenhouse gas emissions are decoupling from economic growth”.
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