The study by Peters et al. examines the growth in global CO2 emissions from 1990 to 2008, focusing on the role of international trade in transferring emissions from developing to developed countries. Despite stabilization of emissions in developed countries (Annex B countries under the Kyoto Protocol), emissions in developing countries (non-Annex B countries) have doubled. The authors develop a trade-linked global database for CO2 emissions, covering 113 countries and 57 economic sectors, to quantify the emission transfers via international trade. They find that emissions from the production of traded goods and services increased from 4.3 Gt CO2 in 1990 to 7.8 Gt CO2 in 2008, representing 26% of global emissions. Most developed countries have increased their consumption-based emissions faster than their territorial emissions, with non-energy-intensive manufacturing playing a key role. The net emission transfers via international trade from developing to developed countries increased from 0.4 Gt CO2 in 1990 to 1.6 Gt CO2 in 2008, exceeding the Kyoto Protocol emission reductions. The study suggests that international trade is a significant factor in explaining emission trends and recommends that countries monitor emission transfers via international trade to ensure progress toward global greenhouse gas emission stabilization.The study by Peters et al. examines the growth in global CO2 emissions from 1990 to 2008, focusing on the role of international trade in transferring emissions from developing to developed countries. Despite stabilization of emissions in developed countries (Annex B countries under the Kyoto Protocol), emissions in developing countries (non-Annex B countries) have doubled. The authors develop a trade-linked global database for CO2 emissions, covering 113 countries and 57 economic sectors, to quantify the emission transfers via international trade. They find that emissions from the production of traded goods and services increased from 4.3 Gt CO2 in 1990 to 7.8 Gt CO2 in 2008, representing 26% of global emissions. Most developed countries have increased their consumption-based emissions faster than their territorial emissions, with non-energy-intensive manufacturing playing a key role. The net emission transfers via international trade from developing to developed countries increased from 0.4 Gt CO2 in 1990 to 1.6 Gt CO2 in 2008, exceeding the Kyoto Protocol emission reductions. The study suggests that international trade is a significant factor in explaining emission trends and recommends that countries monitor emission transfers via international trade to ensure progress toward global greenhouse gas emission stabilization.