CO2 EMISSION
Emission of CO2 per country. Source: Report CO2 emissions of all world countries, 2022

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is an essential element in the Earth’s natural carbon cycle, and it is essential for life as we know it. CO2 circulates through the environment and is a critical part of the global ecosystem. It helps to regulate temperatures, provides energy for photosynthesis, and affects climate and weather patterns.
CO2 is a greenhouse gas and plays a significant role in climate change. When the atmosphere contains more CO2, the average global temperatures increase, leading to changes in weather patterns, such as more extreme storms, floods, and droughts. This affects the water cycle and can lead to water shortages and water contamination. It can also affect plant growth, as plants need optimal temperatures and CO2 to be able to photosynthesize. As CO2 levels increase, plants may be unable to take up enough CO2 to support their growth, leading to lowered crop yields and decreased food production.
CO2 also affects ocean ecosystems. As CO2 dissolves in the ocean, it lowers the pH of the water, creating what is known as “ocean acidification.” This makes it difficult for some species to survive, as their shells and skeletons may become too brittle to support them. This can lead to changes in the food chain and ecosystems, as species that rely on each other to survive may be unable to do so.
In 2021, global CO2 emissions rebounded by 5.3% compared to 2020, remaining just 0.36% below 2019 levels. China, the United States, the EU, India, Russia, and Japan are the economies that emit the most CO2 in the world. Together, they account for 49.2% of the world’s population, 62.4% of global GDP, 66.4% of fossil fuel consumption and 67.8% of global fossil CO2 emissions. All six had increased CO2 emissions in 2021 compared to 2020.
The European Union’s emissions rose by 6.5% in 2021, from an exceptionally low level in 2020 due to lockdowns caused by the coronavirus pandemic. However, last year EU emissions fell by 5% compared to 2019. This puts the EU on track to meet its goal of cutting emissions by 55% by the end of this decade.
China is by far the country that produces the most: 33% of the total in 2021. By itself, it exceeds the sum of the four economies that follow it: the United States (12.5%), European Union (7.3 %), India (7%), and Russia (5%). Beijing aims to reach peak emissions “before 2030”: this means that it will not stop increasing them for several more years.
Emission of CO2 per country and per capita 2021. Source: Report CO2 emissions of all world countries, 2022
The ranking changes radically if we consider per capita emissions, a not-too-significant criterion, which inevitably rewards the most populated countries. In this case, the United States surpasses China.
Emission of CO2 per country and capita 1970. Source: Report CO2 emissions of all world countries, 2022
In the graph above, selecting the years and going back in time, it is possible to observe the evolution of the map of emissions. States, which were clearly the world’s biggest polluters in the 1970s, have seen their weight decline as China’s economic development has grown, along with its impact on the environment. In 1990, the US was still producing twice the CO2 emitted by China. The overtaking took place only in 2005.
Emerging countries, with India in the lead, are very attentive to the number of emissions accumulated in history by the various economies. The weights change once again. From 1850 to today, India’s contribution to the historical cumulative emissions of CO2 is in fact very low, while the United States becomes the biggest polluter, followed by the EU, with China still in third position, but very far from the US.
Emission of CO2 per category in the World. Source: Report CO2 emissions of all world countries, 2022
The energy transition, with the transition to less polluting forms of energy production and consumption, will involve all sectors. First on the supply side. Energy production, as seen in the graph above, is still the main cause of greenhouse gas emissions. In the EU, all sectors increased their CO2 emissions in 2021 compared to 2020.
It is also interesting to see the development of emissions of CO2 per category, year, and country:
Emission of CO2 per category in China. Source: Report CO2 emissions of all world countries, 2022
Emission of CO2 per category in USA. Source: Report CO2 emissions of all world countries, 2022
Emission of CO2 per category in India. Source: Report CO2 emissions of all world countries, 2022
Emission of CO2 per category in Switzerland. Source: Report CO2 emissions of all world countries, 2022
Emission of CO2 per category in Sweden. Source: Report CO2 emissions of all world countries, 2022
The energy industry and other industrial sectors showed the greatest increases (+9.1% and +6.7%, respectively). The transportation sector recovered less than half of the annual emissions decline recorded in 2020. Power generation accounted for 44% of China’s emissions in 2021.
The cut in CO2 emissions necessary to stop global warming cannot take place without the contribution of “nature”. Forests are essential in reducing the carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere. Their destruction, as can be seen in the graph above, on the contrary, weighs significantly on climate change, not only because it weakens the soothing power of forests, but because it releases greenhouse gases.
Land Use, Land-Use Change, and Forestry (Lulucf) are estimated to have removed about 3.9 Gt CO2 in 2020, about the same level as in the previous decade and 12% less than in 2010. This net removal is equivalent to about 10% of the total fossil CO2 emissions of anthropic origin.
The increasing levels of CO2 in the atmosphere are a cause for concern, as it affects the entire global ecosystem. To reduce the effects of climate change, we must reduce the emissions of CO2 into the atmosphere. This can be done using renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power, as well as through the adoption of energy-efficient technologies. We must also work to reduce deforestation, as this affects the amount of carbon stored in plants and trees and ultimately affects the amount of carbon in the atmosphere.
CO2 is an essential part of the global ecosystem, and its increasing levels are causing significant changes in the Earth’s climate and ecosystems. To ensure the health of our planet, we must work to reduce the emissions of CO2 into the atmosphere and protect the natural carbon cycle.
The above information about CO2 emission is based on an article by “Il Sole 24 Ore” and Reports CO2 emissions of all world countries, in 2022. Read more: https://lab24.ilsole24ore.com/cop27-dati-CO2-mondo/?refresh_ce=1