Indicator: A-40 Greenhouse - change in total carbon dioxide equivalent emissions per capita and gross domestic product
Data
Greenhouse gas emissions per capita, 1990-2003
Source: Department of the Environment and Heritage and Australian Greenhouse Office 2005, National Greenhouse Gas Inventory, Analysis of Recent Trends and Greenhouse Indicators 1990-2003, DEH and AGO, Canberra, table A4.1
Greenhouse gas emissions per capita, 1990-2003
Source: Department of the Environment and Heritage and Australian Greenhouse Office 2005, National Greenhouse Gas Inventory, Analysis of Recent Trends and Greenhouse Indicators 1990-2003, DEH and AGO, Canberra, tables A4.1 and A4.3
What the data mean
The data shows a slight decrease in tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions per head of population over the reporting period, 1990-2003 (from 32.1 tonnes per capita to 27.8). Similarly, the data shows a slight decrease in carbon dioxide equivalent emissions per dollar of gross domestic product (from 1.090 kilograms per dollar of gross domestic product to 0.726).
Data Limitations
Nil known.
Issues for which this is an indicator and why
Atmosphere — Climate variability and change - Greenhouse
Atmospheric constituents such as carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide contribute to a natural greenhouse effect and, with clouds, maintain the earth’s energy balance. The earth’s energy balance can change through increasing concentrations of these constituents in the atmosphere, as a result of human activities and natural events. Changes in total carbon dioxide equivalent emissions per capita and gross domestic product give an indication of how well Australia is progressing in reducing greenhouse gas emissions relative to population and economic growth and as such a measure of our efficiency.
Other indicators for this issue:
- A-07 Greenhouse - carbon dioxide concentrations and growth rates
- A-08 Greenhouse - change in total carbon dioxide equivalent emissions by gas
- A-38 Greenhouse - methane concentrations and growth rates
- A-39 Greenhouse - nitrous oxide concentrations and growth rates
- A-41 Greenhouse - climate change projections
- A-42 Greenhouse - carbon dioxide equivalent emissions by sector
- A-43 Greenhouse - carbon dioxide equivalent emissions by primary fuel type
- A-44 Greenhouse - carbon dioxide equivalent emissions by mode of travel and road transport emissions by vehicle type
- A-45 Greenhouse - agricultural sector carbon dioxide equivalent emissions
- A-46 Greenhouse - carbon dioxide equivalent emissions from land use, land use change and forestry
- Greenhouse - climate change projections
- LD-05 Terrestrial carbon loss rate and rate of land carbon sequestration
- LD-39 Change in biomass stock
- CO-03 Sea level
- CO-04 Sea surface temperature variability
- CO-44 Marine chlorophyll concentration
- CO-60 Sea salinity
- AAT-12 Changes in colonies of plants on Heard Island
- AAT-14 Ice sheet mass balance and sea ice extent
- AAT-15 Glacier movement
Further Information
Key
Links to another web site
Links to data in the DRS
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