Old carbon emissions are still driving trillions in climate damage

illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on earth.com or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: A new study led by researchers at Stanford University finds that carbon emissions released decades ago are still generating massive economic damage, with the majority of climate costs yet to occur

🔭 The context: The research, led by environmental economist Marshall Burke, estimates that emissions from the United States alone caused over $10 trillion in global climate damage by 2020, with impacts spread across countries including India, Brazil and across Europe
• Because carbon dioxide remains in the atmosphere for centuries, emissions from the past continue to warm the planet and slow economic growth today

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: The findings reinforce that climate change operates on long time horizons: emissions released today – or decades ago – can drive warming and ecological disruption for generations
• This persistence intensifies biodiversity loss, ecosystem stress and climate instability, meaning delayed action dramatically increases long-term environmental damage

⏭️ What’s next: The study could strengthen debates around “loss and damage” compensation, linking specific emissions to measurable economic harm

💬 One quote: “As long as a ton of emitted carbon dioxide is up there, it is causing warming and that warming is causing damage,” - Marshall Burke

📈 One stat: A single ton of CO₂ emitted in 1990 caused about $180 in damage by 2020 — but could generate another $1,840 in climate damage by 2100

See on illuminem's Data Hub™ the sustainability performance — carbon credit purchases, total emissions, and climate targets of thousands of companies

Click for more news covering the latest on carbon