China’s emissions of two potent greenhouse gases rise 78% in a decade

illuminem summarizes for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on The Guardian or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: China's emissions of tetrafluoromethane and hexafluoroethane increased by 78% over the past decade
• These gases now make up 64-66% of global emissions for these compounds
• The findings come from an MIT study analyzing atmospheric data from 2011 to 2021

🔭 The context: Perfluorocarbons, used in manufacturing and aluminum smelting, trap heat more effectively than CO2 and persist for thousands of years
• The emissions surge mainly originates from less populated industrial zones in western China
• China's aluminum production hit a record 41.5 million tonnes last year

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: The rise in these potent greenhouse gases undermines global climate goals and China's carbon neutrality targets
• Effective climate strategies must address these emissions while balancing industrial growth essential for renewable energy technologies

⏭️ What's next: Technological innovations and integrating the aluminum industry into carbon markets could mitigate emissions
• China's goals include reaching peak carbon emissions by 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2060

💬 One quote: "These ongoing high levels of fluorocarbon emissions could pose a particular threat to China’s carbon neutrality goal," MIT researchers

📈 One stat: China accounts for 64-66% of global tetrafluoromethane and hexafluoroethane emissions as of 2020

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