LONDON, April 30 - The ongoing rapid industrialization of the world's advanced developing economies means global emissions of heat-trapping gases will by the end of the decade exceed safe levels by far more than previously expected, according to a report published Friday.
The report from PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency said global greenhouse gas output will be at least 50.9 billion tones of CO2 equivalent a year by 2020, 2.5 billion higher than it estimated in 2010, and some 7-11 billion tones beyond levels needed to prevent runaway climate change.
This is despite 87 of 194 U.N. nations setting voluntary targets to rein in their emission output by the end of the decade in a pact struck at a climate summit in Cancun, Mexico, in 2010.