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"Global greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels reached the highest levels in human history last year, driven predominantly by Chinese growth, and are projected to surge even further in 2013. New data from the Global Carbon Project - a team of international scientists who track global emissions - finds carbon dioxide released from burning fossil fuels and making cement grew 2.2 per cent in 2012 from the previous year. In 2013 a further 2.1 per cent rise is expected. But the latest data suggests the world's emissions could be slowing. The approximate 2 per cent growth in 2012 and 2013 falls short of the 3.1 per cent average annual rise since 2000. CSIRO climate scientist Dr Pep Canadell - who is also executive director of the Global Carbon Project - told Fairfax Media the emissions rates of the past two years could be the tentative signs of a global slow down."

"Giles Parkinson First, the good news. Australia will, as expected, comfortably meet its Kyoto emission reduction target, and won't get into trouble with the international community when its report card is due at the end of 2012. Even though emissions from the electricity sector will have grown by 51 per cent from 1990 through to 2012, the last-minute deal negotiated at Kyoto by Senator Robert Hill - which allowed Australia to claim reduction of land clearing after levelling half of Queensland just before the baseline year - means it will deliver on its generous national quota of 108 per cent of its 1990 emissions. It will likely come in at just over 106 per cent, and will no doubt give itself a gold star for doing so. Now, the bad news. The task of meeting Australia's pledge to the Copenhagen Accord has just gotten a lot harder. The government's latest emissions trajectory report reveals emissions growth shows little sign of abating in the short term, and may accelerate because of the impact of the massive LNG projects off the north-west of the country and increased coal exports."

"To avoid 2 degrees of climate change, global carbon emissions will need to be reduced by at least 50% by 2050. For developed countries such as Australia with higher carbon emissions this will mean cuts closer to 80%: it essentially implies decarbonising the stationary energy sector in Australia. Several studies have now tackled the question of how to achieve this, and despite different approaches and different assumptions they've come up with rather similar results."

The results of the government's first reverse auction of carbon-cutting projects have been released. Where is the money going? The government will spend A$660 of its A$2.55 billion Emissions Reduction Fund on contracts set to reduce emissions by some 447 million tonnes, more than half of it in "carbon farming" projects to lock up carbon in vegetation. Federal environment minister Greg Hunt described the outcome as a "stunning result" for Australia, pointing out that the average price of A$13.95 per tonne of carbon is cheaper than the previous government's carbon pricing scheme. But critics have pointed to the lack of involvement so far from industry sectors that were covered by the previous carbon tax, and the fact that the new scheme is paid for by taxpayers rather than the businesses creating the pollution. Here are the numbers:"

"The Climate Change Authority is reviewing Australia's greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals. The Targets and Progress Review addresses two broad topics: Australia's progress towards it medium and long term emissions reduction targets; and Australia's emissions reduction goals."

"Many Australian consumers and businesses are working on ways to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. For some, the carbon tax meets their needs: it's designed to specifically motivate changes in behaviour by raising the costs associated with the production of pollution. But others are looking for more direct measures. Do offsets fit the bill?"

"Hopes for 'safe' temperature increase within 2C fade as Hawaii station documents second-greatest emissions increase"

"The world's biggest greenhouse gas emitter, China, has proposed to install a cap on emissions by 2016. The proposal is being hailed as major breakthrough in the push to address global climate change."

At the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii, the latest on-site measurements of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by the Scripps Institute of Oceanography reveal that global atmospheric carbon-dioxide (CO2) concentrations reached 391.3 parts per million (ppm) in 2011, up from 388.56 ppm in 2010 and from 280 ppm from pre-industrial times. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), in order to have a 90-percent chance of avoiding dangerous changes in climate, greenhouse-gases (GHGs) concentrations need to be stabilized at 450 ppm, which would roughly translate into an average temperature increase of 2° Celsius. This means that to stabilize GHG concentrations at 450 ppm, global GHG emissions will need to peak before 2015 and be reduced to 50 percent of their 2000 level by 2050.

There are emerging radical technologies that have the potential to change the way we live. This video on Zero Emission Cities is third summary of a series of conversations had at the NETS Annual Foresighting Event on Three Technologies that Will Change the Way We Live. The video is made by RiAUS.

Which countries in the world emit the most carbon dioxide? How fast has China overtaken the US to reach the number one position? And why does Gibraltar have such high emissions per person? This interactive guide made for us by Craig Bloodworth of the Information Lab gives you a way to navigate the latest Energy Information Administration data

"There is little doubt that Kevin Rudd's plan to bring forward international linking and trading of emission permits is a smart political move. It removes a key option for Tony Abbott. Now Mr Abbott is forced to apply the most extreme interpretation of his promise to remove the carbon tax: remove all pricing mechanisms. Until now, many commentators have pointed to the vague wording of his promise to argue that bringing forward the internationally linked trading scheme would be an obvious path for him after winning the election."

"The report is the first index of low carbon activity and its impact on reducing Australia's greenhouse gas emissions.  Learn how Australia is tracking to meet its 5 per cent  emissions reduction target and the 25 per cent target that scientists say is the minimum required to avoid dangerous climate change."

"Last night's ABC Q&A program didn't spend much time discussing the issue of climate change, but it nonetheless represented an excellent microcosm of the broader political debate on the issue. On one side you had Bill McKibben, who has dedicated his life to the cause of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. He is trying to put the fear of God into investors that money in fossil fuels is like investing in the horse and buggy industry at the dawn of the motor vehicle. In the other corner was Cory Bernardi, one of the ring leaders behind the toppling of Malcolm Turnbull because of his support for an emissions trading scheme, who believes global warming is a fraud."

TWO brands of olive oil, one from Australia, the other shipped 16,000 kilometres from Italy, sit on a supermarket shelf. Most eco-friendly shoppers would reach for the Australian oil. But despite burning less fossil fuel to get here, it may not be better for the planet. Contrary to popular belief, ''food miles'', or the distance food has travelled before we buy it, is a poor indicator of our food's total greenhouse gas emissions, or ''carbon footprint''. Advertisement: Story continues below More important is the way our food is farmed and produced, and how far we drive to buy it. CSIRO studies are expected to show how emissions from farming and food production eclipse those from food freight.

BONN, Germany, May 24 (Reuters) - Greenhouse gas emissions in 2020 could rise to nine billion tonnes above what is needed to limit global warming as some countries look set to miss their emissions cut targets, a report by three climate research groups said on Wednesday.

Twenty-one coherent major initiatives could together stimulate sufficient reductions by 2020 to bridge the global greenhouse-gas emissions gap.

WHAT ARE THE MAIN SOURCES OF METHANE EMISSIONS?

"For the first time, Facebook has revealed its carbon footprint, with over 900 million users. While the social network has grown rapidly, the good news is that its carbon emissions are still significantly lower than fellow internet giant, and sustainability conscious, Google. In 2011, Facebook's annual emissions were apparently 285,000 metric tonnes of CO2, compared to 1.5 million tonnes created by Google in 2010."

"The Clean Energy Bill 2011 is a package of legislation that establishes an Australian emissions trading scheme designed to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and limit global warming"