CHINA surpassed the EU in pollution levels per capita for the first time last year, propelling to a record the worldwide greenhouse gas emissions that are blamed for climate change.

    The findings led by scientists at two British universities show the scale of the challenge of reining in the emissions damaging the climate.

    Each person in China produced 7.2 tons of carbon dioxide on average compared with 6.8 tons in Europe in 2013, according to the study by the Tyndall Center and the University of Exeter’s College of Mathematics and Physical Sciences.

    China passed the United States in terms of overall carbon emissions seven years ago and remains the world’s biggest fossil fuel emissions producer.

    A separate study provided some hope that the pace of emissions growth could be reversed in China. Demand for coal in the nation may peak as soon as this year, according to the Carbon Tracker Initiative compiled by a non-profit group that joined the university academics in warning that fossil fuel burning must be halted.(SD-Agencies)