Since the beginning of the industrial revolution global emissions of carbon dioxide the main contributor to climate disruption have been growing and growing (and growing). This build-up of carbon dioxide is contributing to the extreme weather events we are facing today, and the damages which will get worse if the world isnt more aggressive in shifting from fossil fuels towards clean energy. So, it is welcome news that global emissions of carbon dioxide have plateaued for the last three years. After all, to meet the objectives of the Paris Agreement it is critical that global emissions first stop growing and then decline significantly in the coming decades.

Here are the key findings from new data released by researchers at the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (see summary report and full data *).

GLOBAL CARBON DIOXIDE EMISSIONS WERE ESSENTIALLY FLAT FOR A THIRD YEAR IN A ROW

Prior to 2014, global emissions of carbon dioxide had been growing at a significant pace adding roughly 0.7 Giga tons of carbon dioxide (GtCO2) per year between 2005 and 2014 (with some occasional annual variation). But between 2014 and 2016, these emissions have remained essentially flat, per this new data (see figure). Emissions fell about 0.16 percent over the 20142015 period and rose slightly 0.34 percent over the 20152016 period. This compares to an annual average increase from 2005 through 2013 of about two percent.