The graph below shows average carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions per person in the United Kingdom, Sweden, Italy and Portugal between 1967 and 2007. Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

The chart shows the changes in average carbon dioxide each person emitted in four European countries from 1967 to 2007.

In 1967, the highest amount of carbon was emitted by the English, at over 10 metric tonnes (MT); followed by the Swedish who emitted a little above 8 MT in the same year. Italy and Portugal, on the other hand, emitted much lower amounts, at 4.1 and 1.5 MT respectively.

The United Kingdom managed to curb its emission constantly, bringing it down to 8.2 MT until 2007. Although the emission increased in the first decade of the study for Sweden, the country had a downward trend too, even sharper, to a low of 5.9 MT.

The other two countries, however, had a rising trend. Emission for Italy had increased to approximately 8 MT by the end of the period, overtaking that of Sweden in 1990. Portugal experienced an even faster increase, reaching the said figure for Sweden by the end of the period in question showing an almost threefold increase.

Overall, the United Kingdom and Sweden had managed to control their emissions by the end of forty years whereas Portugal and Italy experienced an upward trend, with Portugal having a massive increase.

Overall: 7.5 written by Mahdi Modarres