Unbelievable as it may sound, there's a real possibility that global carbon emissions may level out and even fall by the end of this decade, even before any UN agreed CO2 cutting deal takes hold.
How so? Well, according to this report by the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency, world emissions grew by 'just' 1.1% in 2012, less than half the average rate for the last decade (2.9%).
The main reasons, they say, were the U.S.'s continuing switch from coal to shale gas, China's controlled economic slowdown, and the EU's decreased energy consumption.
They also say that, if China keeps to it's own targets, the U.S. maintains it's switch to shale gas (+ renewables), and the EU sorts out it's Emissions Trading System, global emissions could be falling by 2020.
Imagine how much more could be achieved with a decent UN agreement on CO2.
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