Global Warming Goal of 2 Degrees Dwindling

As our climate continues to change and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions keep climbing, scientists and world leaders alike fear that the chances of limiting global warming to 2 degrees Celsius is dwindling fast. Now, climate officials have announced that it's highly unlikely we'll meet that goal due to the concentration of greenhouse gases.

In an effort to track carbon emissions, the Global Carbon Project (GCP) published three peer-reviewed articles identifying the challenges for society to keep global average warming less than 2 degrees C above pre-industrial levels. Unfortunately, the findings don't offer much encouragement.

Global carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel combustion and cement production actually grew 2.3 percent to a record high of 36.1 billion tons in 2013. In 2014, emissions are estimated to jump another 2.5 percent, which is 65 percent above the level of 1990. Needless to say, this is not offering any hope of reaching global climate goals.

And China, which is typically a leader in the push for a greener society, isn't setting a good example.

"China now emits more than the US and EU combined and has CO2 emissions per person 45 percent higher than the global average, exceeding even the EU average," Robbie Andrew, a co-author of the studies based at the Center for International Climate and Environmental Research - Oslo (CICERO) in Norway, said in a news release.