Poland Fossil-Fuel CO₂ Emissions

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Trends

Carbon dioxide emissions from Poland's use of fossil-fuels and cement production climbed at a remarkably steady rate of 3.9% per year from 1800 until 1980, when they dropped abruptly (11.7%). Fossil-fuel CO₂ emissions crept back up throughout the 1980s peaking in 1987 at 127 million metric tons of carbon. Since the 1987 high, CO₂ emissions have plummeted 32% to early 1970s levels while per capita emissions have dropped to late 1960s levels. Poland is the world's ninth largest producer of coal and emissions are predominantly from coal burning: 97% in 1950 and 68% in 2008. The drop following 1980 is apparent in rates of liquid fuel burning but releases from consumption of petroleum products have returned and surpassed 1980s levels. The declines in Poland's emissions are predominantly in coal consumption where emissions from coal burning are now 46% lower than 1987.