Climate notes: Historical CO2-Emissions and the Question of Fair Distribution

While CO2 emissions worldwide continue to rise, emissions compared to gross domestic product are falling in most countries. Western nations in particular are generating rising GDP with an ever smaller relative share of CO2 emissions. Countries like China and India are clearly lagging behind in terms of this trend. This article shows the historical development of CO2 emissions related to GDP. The long monitoring period compared to other emission analyses, beginning in 1850, clearly illustrates the course of developments to date.