U.N. report: Greenhouse gases on rise

UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 21 (UPI) -- Greenhouse gas emissions produced by industrialized countries rose for the seventh straight year in 2007, the United Nations reported Wednesday.

While emissions from developed nations were 4 percent below 1990 levels, the release of harmful gases into the atmosphere increased by 3 percent from 2000 to 2007, the latest year available for study, the organization said in a news release.

Data submitted to the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change also indicated the group of 37 industrialized countries with targets under the Kyoto Protocol increased emissions from 2006 to 2007 by 0.1 percent.

"The continuing growth of emissions from industrialized countries remains worrying, despite the expectation of a momentary dip brought about by the global recession," said Yvo de Boer, U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change executive secretary.

De Boer said the 2007 data indicate the need to reach a "comprehensive, fair and effective climate change deal" in Copenhagen, Denmark, in December, when countries consider a successor pact to the Kyoto Protocol, set to expire in 2012.