EXETER, England, Nov. 22 (UPI) -- Carbon dioxide emissions, the main greenhouse gas contributing to global warming, continue to rise and may reach record levels this year, U.K. researchers say.
A study led by the University of Exeter is part of the annual carbon budget update by the Global Carbon Project, ScienceDaily.com reported Monday.
The study found that despite the global financial crises affecting Western economies that led to a 1.2 percent reduction of CO2 emissions from record 2008 levels, that reduction was less than half what was predicted a year ago.
Meanwhile, emerging economies like China and India experienced strong economic performance despite the financial crisis and recorded substantial increases in CO2 emissions.
China had an 8 percent increase, while India recorded a 6.2 percent rise in CO2 emissions, the study said.
The study predicts that with expected economic growth, global fossil fuel emissions will increase by more than 3 percent in 2010, again approaching the high emissions rates observed from 2000 to 2008.
