Financial Times: Sharp Drop in US Emissions Keeps Global Levels Flat

The world has kept emissions that cause climate change in check for the third year in a row during a period when the prices of fossil fuels were low and global economic growth averaged about 3 percent per year. Natural gas has quickly replaced coal as an energy source, seven nuclear power plants went on line in China and renewable energies are becoming more affordable. The trends suggest “a shift to a greener global economy is happening faster than previously thought,” reports Pilata Clark for Financial Times. “A striking drop in carbon pollution in the US, where emissions fell back to what they were in 1992, helped to keep global CO2 levels in 2016 virtually unchanged from the two previous years, the International Energy Agency said.” Researchers remind that stabilization is not enough, and the world must strive to reduce reliance on fossil fuels. Clark notes, “The ability to cut emissions without putting economic growth at risk has been the holy grail for governments and climate change campaigners alike, especially in emerging markets.” – YaleGlobal