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According to Vital Different measures of global greenhouse gas emissions have China
Climate Change as either a major carbon polluter or a minor emitter of CO2. The
Graphics, U.S. is a major polluter in all methods.
published by the
United Nations
Environmental Programme in Feb 2005, “Since pre-industrial times, the atmospheric
concentration of greenhouse gases has grown significantly. The present level of
carbon dioxide concentration (around 375 parts per million) is the highest for 420,000
years, and probably the highest for the past 20 million years.” In order to combat
climate change, it is important to determine the countries most responsible for climate
changing emissions but this is complicated by the differing yardsticks used to measure
greenhouse gas emissions.
Read on
CO2 Not the Only Greenhouse Gas
Although carbon dioxide is the largest agent of global warming, there are other
greenhouse gases. Methane, nitrous oxide and fluorocarbons all add to climate
change.
Current per Capita CO2 Emissions
Judging a country’s carbon dioxide emissions on a per capita basis gives a totally
different picture. This yardstick is favored by most developing countries such as
China, India and Brazil as a fairer measure of culpability for greenhouse gas
emissions, since it makes the U.S. and the rest of the developed world the major
carbon polluters. Taking the 2006 figures from CO2 Emissions from Fuel Combustion
2009 Edition, published by the International Energy Agency in June 2009 and
ignoring very small population countries such as Gibraltar, Singapore and
Luxembourg plus the oil producing Mid East countries such as Qatar and Bahrain, the
figures are:
• The United States produces 19.05 metric tons of carbon dioxide per person.
• Australia is second with 18.78.
• Canada is third with 16.47.
• Russia is fourth with 11.14.
• Germany is fifth with 10.00.
• Korea is sixth with 9.87.
• Japan is seventh with 9.41.
• New Zealand is eight with 8.99.
• The United Kingdom is ninth with 8.84.
• Greece is tenth with 8.44.
China, India and Brazil are all below 5.00 metric tons per person of carbon dioxide.