Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Dedication
- Contents
- Acknowledgements
- Glossary of Terms and Abbreviations
- 1 Introduction
- 2 Identity and Culture
- 3 Demographics
- 4 Education
- 5 Employment
- 6 Industry and Occupation
- 7 Health
- 8 Politics
- 9 Economics
- 10 Environment
- 11 Social Cohesion
- 12 Policy
- 13 Conclusion
- References
- Appendix: Sources of Data
10 - Environment
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 15 April 2023
- Frontmatter
- Dedication
- Contents
- Acknowledgements
- Glossary of Terms and Abbreviations
- 1 Introduction
- 2 Identity and Culture
- 3 Demographics
- 4 Education
- 5 Employment
- 6 Industry and Occupation
- 7 Health
- 8 Politics
- 9 Economics
- 10 Environment
- 11 Social Cohesion
- 12 Policy
- 13 Conclusion
- References
- Appendix: Sources of Data
Summary
Carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere have broken through a symbolic mark. Daily measurements of CO2 at a US government agency lab on Hawaii have topped 400 parts per million for the first time ... The last time CO2 was regularly above 400ppm was three to five million years ago – before modern humans existed.
BBC News, 2013c
According to the latest data from the World Bank, the estimated carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions produced by the burning of fossil fuels and the manufacture of cement in all countries mapped in this atlas was 4,101,932 kilotonnes (kt) in 2009. The largest share of this (about a fifth) was produced by Germany, followed by the United Kingdom (11.57%) and Italy (9.77%). However, when taking the total population of each state into account, Luxembourg has the highest level of emissions (20.3 metric tonnes per capita), followed by the Czech Republic and the Netherlands (10.3), while the lowest levels are observed in Albania (0.9), Turkey (3.9), Hungary, Croatia and Montenegro (each 4.9). The estimated level of world emissions of carbon dioxide is 4.7 metric tonnes per capita, while in the European Union it is 7.2 metric tonnes per capita.
Only in Albania and Turkey are emissions found to be lower than the global average. Lower levels of pollution are found only in areas where there is both very little highly polluting industry and where individual levels of material consumption are lower. Across all of Europe there is now an aim to reduce carbon dioxide pollution.
The levels of gases in the atmosphere that drive global warming increased to a record high in 2012. According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), atmospheric CO2 grew more rapidly last year than its average rise over the past decade. Concentrations of methane and nitrous oxide also broke previous records. Thanks to carbon dioxide and these other gases, the WMO says the warming effect on our climate has increased by almost a third since 1990.
McGrath, 2013
This map shows the estimated emissions from agricultural biomass burning, industrial activities and livestock management across Europe. According to data from the World Bank, these were estimated to be approximately 324,884.90 kt of carbon dioxide equivalent. Germany has the largest volume (13% of the total), followed by France, Turkey, Poland and the United Kingdom.
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- Information
- The Social Atlas of Europe , pp. 137 - 158Publisher: Bristol University PressPrint publication year: 2014