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4. Historic carbon dioxide emissions by region
So who are the bad guys in causing this increase in atmospheric CO 2 ? Of course, it is the
developed countries who historically have emitted most of the anthropogenic (man-made)
GHGs, as they have been emitting them since the start of the industrial revolution in the
latter half of the 18th century. Though this historic carbon burden is important according
to International Energy Authority projections, it is rapidly changing. Between 2015 and
2044 the world will put half a trillion tonnes of CO 2 into the atmosphere, which is the
same amount that was emitted between 1750 and 2015. This is because rapidly develop-
ing countries such as China, India, South Africa, Brazil, etc., are increasing their emis-
sions of GHGs at a huge rate—economic development being closely associated with en-
ergy production. For example, in 2007, China become the biggest emitter of CO 2 in the
world, overtaking the USA. However, when considered per capita, the Chinese emissions
are four times lower than those of the USA, who are top of the per-capita list.
The half trillion tonnes of carbon which have been put into the atmosphere since the in-
dustrial revolution represent only half our total emission. It seems that 50 per cent of our
emission have been absorbed by the Earth, with 25 per cent going into the oceans and 25
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