(02 November 2017) – The global community has coalesced around the ambitious goals of the Paris Agreement, one of which is to peak global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as soon as possible. A new report, out today from the World Resources Institute, takes stock of every country’s progress and commitments toward peak emissions.
Although the timing of when global GHG emissions need to peak is well-documented, there has been less research on when individual countries’ emissions have peaked.
WRI’s new paper, ‘Turning Points: Trends in Countries’ Reaching Peak Greenhouse Gas Emissions Over Time’, fills this gap by analysing which countries’ emissions peaked in the past and which countries have emissions reduction commitments that imply peaking in the future.
The paper documents steady progress in the number of countries reaching peak emissions over time. By 1990, 19 countries had peaked (representing 21% of global emissions) and by 2030 this number is likely to grow to 57 countries (representing 60% of global emissions).
Among countries that have not peaked already but have a commitment that implies a peak by 2030 are three of the world’s biggest emitters: China, Japan and Mexico.