Global, Regional, and National CO₂ Emissions

FAR EAST

Graphics Digital Data

What countries constitute the Far East?

Trends

Fossil-fuel emissions of CO₂ from the Far East dropped from 1997-98 for the first time since 1947-48 ending fifty years of growth averaging approximately 7% per year. Fossil-fuel CO₂ emissions in 2004 rose to 885 million metric tons of carbon, a 31-fold increase over the 1950 emission level. The emissions growth since 1948 reflects not only the growth in India, South Korea and Indonesia, but also in Thailand, Taiwan, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore and other less populous nations. India, South Korea and Indonesia are responsible for 64% of the region's 2004 fossil-fuel CO₂ emissions, with the other above-mentioned six countries contributing another 29%. Per capita emissions in the region are as low as 0.01 metric ton of carbon per person per year in Afghanistan and Cambodia, and as high as 6.6 in Brunei. Fifteen of twenty-two countries in the Far East have per capita emission levels below the global average of 1.23 metric tons of carbon. Coal is the major source of fossil-fuel CO₂ in the region. Over 63% of the region's consumed coal is burned in India while India, Indonesia and South Korea combine for 61% of liquid-fuel emissions.