Although steadily increasing, average per capita CO2 emissions in Asia and the Pacific are just one sixth of what they are in North America and about 40 per cent of the European level.
Compared with other developing regions, they are more than twice as high as in Africa and one quarter higher than in Latin America and the Caribbean (figure 25.1).
Figure 25.1 CO2 emissions in the regions of the world, 1990-2004
Human activities that contribute to global warming are usually linked to the emission of greenhouse gases, which captures and confines outgoing radiation to earth. The most prominent greenhouse gases are CO2, nitrous oxide (N2O), methane (CH4) and three fluorinated gases: haloalkanes (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs) and sulphur hexafluoride (SO6). The largest share of greenhouse gas emissions - over 80 per cent - comes from CO2, which is produced mostly through fossil fuel combustion.
High-income countries in Asia and the Pacific emit the highest level of CO2 per capita, at 10.3 tons, followed by middle-income countries, at 4.1 tons, which is twice the 1990 level (figure 25.3).
Least developed countries, on the other hand, record the lowest level of per capita emissions in Asia and the Pacific, at 0.2 tons. Small island developing States are the only group of countries that have registered a decline in CO2 emissions per capita between 1990 and 2004, from 5.6 to 4.4.
If CO2 emissions are calculated per unit of GDP, Asia and the Pacific has one of the highest CO2 intensities in the world, although as with most world regions a decreasing trend since 1990 is visible (figure 25.4).
Figure 25.2 Index of change in CO2 emissions per capita in the regions of the world, 1992-2004 Figure 25.3 CO2 emissions per capita in selected groups of Asian and Pacific countries, 1990 and 2004
In absolute terms, the highest CO2 emissions in Asia and the Pacific in absolute terms come from China, followed by the Russian Federation and India, which emit almost one third and one fourth, respectively, as much as China.
In most regions of the world, consumption of ozone-depleting substances has fallen significantly since 1995. Asia and the Pacific and North America have reduced per 1,000 population consumption of ozone-depleting substances by over 80 per cent despite their enduringly high consumption levels. These two regions along with Latin America and the Caribbean have the highest level of per 1,000 population consumption of these substances.
The most significant decline in per capita consumption of ozone-depleting substances took place in small island developing States, by nearly 87 per cent between 1995 and 2005. Least developed countries halved their per capita consumption of ozone-depleting substances to 2 kilograms per 1,000 population in 2005.
Figure 25.4 CO2 emissions per unit of GDP in selected
groups of Asian and Pacific countres, 1990-2004
High-income countries reduced consumption of ozone-depleting substances per capita at the fastest pace among income groupings, by 88 per cent. Middle-income countries recorded a decrease of 77 per cent and low-income countries 68 per cent during the same period. The level of per 1,000 population consumption is still highest in high-income countries, at 33, compared with only 4 in low-income countries.
The picture changes, however, when consumption of ozone-depleting substances is measured per million units of GDP. As in the case of CO2 emissions, such an indicator measures the intensity with which ozone-depleting substances are used in the production of goods and services.
For instance, North America is the region with the lowest level of consumption of ozone-depleting substances per million units of GDP despite having the highest per 1,000 population consumption of these substances. The Asian and Pacific region had the second lowest ozone-depleting substance consumption level per million units of GDP in 2004.
Figure 25.5 CO2emissions per unit of GDP in selected
Asian and Pacific countries, 1990 and 2004
Figure 25.6 Consumption of ozone-depleting substances per capita in the regions of the world, 1990-2005
Figure 25.7 Consumption of ozone-depleting substances per capita in selected groups of Asian and Pacific countries, 1995 and 2005
Figure 25.8 Consumption of ozone-depleting substances
per unit of GDP in the regions of the world,
1990-2005
Figure 25.9 Consumption of ozone-depleting substances per capita in selected Asian and Pacific countries, 1995 and 2005
Figure 25.10 Consumption of ozone-depleting substances
per unit of GDP in selected Asian and Pacific
countries, 1995 and 2005
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