Band 7+: The graph below shows average carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions per person in Ireland, Sweden, France, and Spain between 1970 and 2010. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

The given line graph compares average carbon emissions in four countries – Ireland, Sweden, France, and Spain – from 1970 to 2010.

Overall, carbon emissions in Spain followed an upward trend, while the other three countries – Ireland, Sweden, and France – declined with some fluctuations over the period.

In 1970, Sweden had the highest carbon dioxide emissions among the other three countries, at 14 metric tonnes, while Spain had the lowest, at only 4 metric tonnes. Although over the next four decades, Spain gradually increased its carbon emissions from 5 to around 7 metric tonnes at the end of the period, Sweden drastically decreased its emissions from over 12 to below 10 in 1990. Over the next two decades, Sweden maintained a slight downward trend and reached 8.5 metric tonnes in 2010.

The other two countries, France and Ireland, had almost the same amount of carbon emissions in 1970, at around 9 metric tonnes. In the next two decades, Ireland experienced a rising trend and reached 11 metric tonnes, while France sharply decreased its emissions and reached 6.5 in 1990. In 2010, the carbon emissions of Ireland gradually fell and reached 8 metric tonnes; similarly, France also followed a downward trend and reached only 6 metric tonnes at the end of the period.