Climate change

Since 1750, the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has increased by 30% and that of methane by 150% !
90% of the carbon dioxide emitted comes from the combustion of fossil energies (petroleum products, coal and natural gas) and is therefore directly related to energy consumption.

Per person emissions of CO2 related to energy consumption vary widely in the different regions of the world: from less than 2 to around 3 tCO2/inhabitant in the least developed regions (Africa, South Asia, developing Asia Pacific) and from 6 to 13 tCO2/inhabitant in Western Europe, CIS, Japan, South Asia and Oceania and nearly 19 tCO2/inhabitant in North America.

Energy-related emissions of CO2 per inhabitant in 2002 worldwide based on population  :

• Western Europe : 8.28 tCO2/inhabitant, population : 462.85 million
• CIS : 5.97 tCO2/inhabitant, population : 280.28
• America : 20.02 tCO2/inhabitant, population : 319.84
• Australasia : 12.2 tCO2/inhabitant, population : 30.68
• Japan : 9.14 tCO2/inhabitant, population : 127.2
• Middle East : 6.04 tCO2/inhabitant, population : 172.46
• Latin America : 2.79 tCO2/inhabitant, population : 527.91
• Africa : 1.39 tCO2/inhabitant, population : 831.88
• China : 3.05 tCO2/inhabitant, population : 1,281.3
• Asia (new industrialised countries) : 10.46 tCO2/inhabitant, population :  81.8
• Central Europe : 5.68 tCO2/inhabitant, population : 120.98
• South Asia : 0.82 tCO2/inhabitant, population : 1,373.91
• Developing Asia Pacific : 1.99 tCO2/inhabitant, population : 3,251.94

The countries that signed the Kyoto Protocol made a commitment to reduce their emissions of the main greenhouse gases by 5% compared to the 1990 level by 2008/2012 :

• In the case of the EU countries, this represents an 8% reduction in emissions.
  
• In the case of France, this represents a stabilisation of emissions.

The aim of the Climate Plan launched in 2004, which defines the practical aspects of France’s efforts in the fight against climate change and develops the post-Kyoto outlook, is to reduce greenhouse gases by 72 million ton CO2 equivalent by the year 2010, which represents a reduction of 18 million ton CO2 equivalent compared to 1990.


The objective set by the French government for the year 2050 is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions per inhabitant by 25%.

Emissions per inhabitant in France - Contribution of the various sectors in 2003 :

• Transportation : 26.8% (+23% since 1990
• Manufacturing industry : 20% (-22% since 1990)
• Agriculture : 19.3% (-9% since 1990)
• Building : 18.4% (+14% since 1990
• Energy industry : 13% (-10% since 1990)
• Waste : 2.5% (-9% since 1990)
  

The sectors with the highest greenhouse gas emissions are, in descending order: transportation, manufacturing industry, agriculture/silviculture, building and energy industry. Four of the six sectors have seen a decrease in their contribution in relation to 1990: manufacturing industry, energy industry, agriculture and waste. However, two sectors with very high emissions levels, namely transportation and building, have seen their emissions increase significantly since 1990.

Today, a French household emits an average of 15.5 tons of CO2 per year. One-half of these emissions are a direct result of its private energy uses (travel, home heating and specific electricity, domestic hot water consumption and cooking). Individual travel represents the largest portion of these “private” emissions (28% of annual CO2 emissions and 54% of all “private” emissions), with home heating ranking second in terms of private emissions.

The other half of a household’s annual emissions are related to the production and transport of the products and services it consumes.