According to an annual study, global carbon emissions increased significantly in 2007, with developing countries like China and India now accounting for more than half of the world's carbon dioxide output, which is the main gas responsible for global warming. The report from the Global Carbon Project shows that carbon dioxide emissions have been growing four times faster since 2000 compared to the 1990s, despite some efforts to reduce emissions under the Kyoto Protocol. The burning of fossil fuels played a major role in this increase, according to the authors of the report. India is expected to surpass Russia soon to become the world's third largest emitter of CO2. The executive director of the Global Carbon Project, Pep Canadell, noted that developing countries now contribute more to global emissions than developed countries, which is a new trend. He told Reuters that China is now the leading emitter of emissions, accounting for 60 percent of all emissions growth. The United States is the second largest emitter. The project is backed by the International Council for Science. Professor Barry Brook from the University of Adelaide in Australia warned of potentially disastrous consequences due to the rapid increase in emissions, suggesting that CO2 concentrations could reach 450 ppm by 2030 instead of the previously predicted 2040. They are currently slightly above 380 parts per million. However, reaching 450 parts per million of CO2 will lead to 2 degrees Celsius global warming and the resulting catastrophic consequences. The Global Carbon Project, established in 2001, studies changes in the earth's carbon cycle, including human and natural emissions and how carbon is absorbed by sinks like oceans and forests. Canadell stated that the project analyzes data from CO2 samples collected worldwide and national emissions data reported to the United Nations. He noted the significant increase in emissions from 2000 to 2007 was unprecedented and occurred despite strong international efforts to combat climate change. Currently, only 37 wealthy nations are bound by the Kyoto Protocol, the primary global agreement aimed at addressing global warming, to reduce their emissions starting in 2008. However, the first phase of the Kyoto Protocol will end in 2012, and it does not require developing countries to limit their emissions. The United Nations is leading discussions to expand the Kyoto Protocol after 2013 and develop a plan that will encourage all countries to commit to reducing emissions of CO2 and other greenhouse gases. A recent report has highlighted the urgency of this issue, noting that atmospheric CO2 levels reached 383 parts per million in 2007, marking a 37 percent increase since the beginning of the industrial revolution and the highest level in the past 650,000 years. The report also revealed that the annual growth rate of atmospheric CO2 was 2.2 ppm in 2007, up from 1.8 ppm in 2006. Professor Matthew England, joint director of the University of New South Wales Climate Change Research Centre, stated that the recent data regarding increasing carbon dioxide emissions should serve as a significant reminder to the industry, business, and politicians. Canadell noted that the credit crisis may potentially reduce emissions growth, but emphasized that unless major countries like China, India, Russia, and Japan experience a similar economic downturn as the United States, any decline in emissions will likely be minimal.