Journal article
A synthesis of carbon dioxide emissions from fossil-fuel combustion
Oak Ridge National Laboratory1
University of Colorado2
Colorado State University3
PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency4
CSIRO5
University of Melbourne6
International Energy Agency - Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme7
French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission8
Laboratoire des Sciences de Climat et de l’Environnement9
Stanford University10
Department of Management Engineering, Technical University of Denmark11
Systems Analysis, Department of Management Engineering, Technical University of Denmark12
DTU Climate Centre, Systems Analysis, Department of Management Engineering, Technical University of Denmark13
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration14
Appalachian State University15
...and 5 moreThis synthesis discusses the emissions of carbon dioxide from fossil-fuel combustion and cement production. While much is known about these emissions, there is still much that is unknown about the details surrounding these emissions. This synthesis explores our knowledge of these emissions in terms of why there is concern about them; how they are calculated; the major global efforts on inventorying them; their global, regional, and national totals at different spatial and temporal scales; how they are distributed on global grids (i.e., maps); how they are transported in models; and the uncertainties associated with these different aspects of the emissions.
The magnitude of emissions from the combustion of fossil fuels has been almost continuously increasing with time since fossil fuels were first used by humans. Despite events in some nations specifically designed to reduce emissions, or which have had emissions reduction as a byproduct of other events, global total emissions continue their general increase with time.
Global total fossilfuel carbon dioxide emissions are known to within 10% uncertainty (95% confidence interval). Uncertainty on individual national total fossil-fuel carbon dioxide emissions range from a few percent to more than 50 %. This manuscript concludes that carbon dioxide emissions from fossil-fuel combustion continue to increase with time and that while much is known about the overall characteristics of these emissions, much is still to be learned about the detailed characteristics of these emissions.
Language: | English |
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Publisher: | Copernicus Publications |
Year: | 2012 |
Pages: | 1845-1871 |
ISSN: | 17264189 and 17264170 |
Types: | Journal article |
DOI: | 10.5194/bg-9-1845-2012 |
ORCIDs: | Gregg, Jay Sterling |