Committed emissions from existing energy infrastructure jeopardize 1.5 °C climate target.

ABSTRACT: Net anthropogenic emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂) must approach zero by mid-century (2050) in order to stabilize the global mean temperature at the level targeted by international efforts^1-5. Yet continued expansion of fossil-fuel-burning energy infrastructure implies already 'committed' future CO₂ emissions^6-13. Here we use detailed datasets of existing fossil-fuel energy infrastructure in 2018 to estimate regional and sectoral patterns of committed CO₂ emissions, the sensitivity of such emissions to assumed operating lifetimes and schedules, and the economic value of the associated infrastructure. We estimate that, if operated as historically, existing infrastructure will cumulatively emit about 658 gigatonnes of CO₂ (wi

SUBMITTER: Tong D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6697221 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature