Global Emission Control News

Ever-rising industrial and consumer demand for more power, cheap and abundant coal factories across the world are expected to result in the construction of new coal-fired power plants producing 1,400 GW (Giga-watts) of electricity by 2030. Without the regulations on CO2 emissions, these new plants will increase overall global emissions of CO2 by approximately 7.6 billion metric tons by 2030. These emissions would equal roughly 50% of all fossil fuel emissions over the past 250 years.

The United States solely will account for 145 GW of new power from coal-fired plants are projected to be built by 2030, resulting in CO2 emissions of 790 million metric tons per year. In 2005, the annual emissions of CO2 reported in the United States were 6 billion metric tons.

Policymakers and scientists now recognize that the current growth of greenhouse gas emissions must be reversed and regulated. Scientists also agree that emissions must be reduced substantially in order to help prevent a disastrous climate change. An increase in coal-based power kills off all other efforts to lower emissions and practically ensures that these emissions will continually climb into more deadly levels. This would terminate any chance of stabilizing greenhouse gas levels that would be obtained and prove to be acceptable emission levels in the atmosphere.

On the other hand, in countries experiencing strong economic growth and development, demand for power is dramatic due to the low-cost of coal, and is the primary choice for new power plants. Emissions in these countries are now rising faster than in developed countries like North America and Europe. This means that China will soon be the world’s number one greenhouse gas emitter. Without emission caps for power plants, not only will China fall further behind in controlling CO2 emissions, but so will India. Lack of progress in these countries would ensure failure to control CO2 efforts on a global scale.