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By the Numbers

Submitted by Neil, Dec 17, 2007 17:09

There are some statistics you can argue over, but the basic numbers tell the story. In 2004, the last year from which really comprehensive statistics seem to be available, total world CO2 emissions from all sources amounted to 27.2 million metric tons, of which the U.S. produced 6,049 million metric tons. China and India together produced 6,400 metric tons. The U.S. clearly the worst in absolute terms. But in anticipation of the reality that China would surpass the U.S. in total CO2 emissions, something anticipated to occur in 2010 give or take, the focus for many moved to emissions "per capita". Now 2010 has come early, and according to the well regarded Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency, China moved past the U.S. in absolute emissions in 2006; 6,200 million metric tons compared to 5,800, a trend which many expect to accelerate based on China's continuing explosive growth in coal fired power plants as its principal source of power.

Let us assume that the U.S. reduces its output to 5,000 millions metric tons, that means on the "fair" measure of per capita emissions, China and India, which have a combined population equal to about eight times that of the U.S., are alone entitled as a matter of simple fairness to produce a minimum 40 million tons of CO2 per year, an amount which exceeds the world's total output in 2004 by roughly two thirds.

As they say, do the math. What happened at Bali was basically an exercise in rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. The U.S. is no longer the big gorilla in the room, but it is easier to continue to bash the U.S., than come to grips with the new emerging reality, in particular, China.

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Comment	By	Date
I live in a big city, like most of us probably. Hundreds of city classrooms stand empty but schools remain... [MORE]	Gary Miller	Dec 20, 2007 23:01
John House. Steyn is a very opinionated columnist , and without question infuriating to those who disagree with his viiews,... [MORE]	neil gaffney	Dec 18, 2007 00:26
While I appreciate statistics and consider them within a context. My overwhelming experience is that global warming is real. Mr.... [MORE]	John House	Dec 18, 2007 22:45
I am intrigued by the claims of John 'Green' House to have certain "overwhelming experience" that "global warming is real". Does... [MORE]	Geraint Roberts	Dec 19, 2007 17:38
Cheer up, Mr. Steyn. There may be a purpose behind the mental illness gripping the world's elites. In "Anatomy of Criticism"... [MORE]	Robert Arvanitis	Dec 17, 2007 21:35
I try to read news from around the world. My readings reflect little currency for the opinions Mr. Steyn fears.... [MORE]	John House	Dec 17, 2007 20:35
Mr. House, your argument that global warming must be true based on your personal experience is absolutely absurd. "Obvious, if... [MORE]	Lynn	Dec 19, 2007 10:50
Lynn, I remember when cattle egrets were seldom seen in Central Illinois. I now see many. I remember when trees... [MORE]	John House	Dec 19, 2007 23:46
Mr. House, I would argue that rather than using reason, which would see an individual's personal experience as insigificant in the... [MORE]	Lynn	Dec 20, 2007 10:55
Lynn, thank you for your correction of my typo. Thank you also for the reference. I have book marked it... [MORE]	John House	Dec 20, 2007 22:36
While your story about faith is indeed moving, it is not what I mean when I say that your view... [MORE]	Lynn	Dec 21, 2007 10:20
The real question, of course, is whether global warming is anthropogenic in nature, or just a repeat of the macro-trend... [MORE]	john twinem	Dec 21, 2007 10:58
I think Thomas Malthus and Paul Erlich were fundamentally incorrect, and Western thought is pathetically slow to catch it. I... [MORE]	John House	Dec 24, 2007 23:05
There are some statistics you can argue over, but the basic numbers tell the story. In 2004, the last year...	Neil	Dec 17, 2007 17:09
I believe that we will soon (less than 10 years from now) use solar energy to make fuels in significant... [MORE]	Wilm E. Donath	Dec 17, 2007 12:38
•Emissions from the U.S. increased 6.6%. A plurality of the world's emmissions come from the United States - with 25% of... [MORE]	Ethan	Dec 17, 2007 01:09
Ethan might be more convincing if he could spell emissions. Carbon dioxide emissions are not poison, but fertilizer for the plant... [MORE]	tarkus	Dec 17, 2007 03:08
I think (correct me if I'm wrong) the Kyoto protocol was to reduce emissions by percentage amounts. So by showing... [MORE]	Keith	Dec 17, 2007 10:03
Sirs, Whether Mark Steyn's right or wrong matters not. It's the basic premise of the global ecochondriacs that's erroneous. On page... [MORE]	Boris Bell	Dec 17, 2007 14:53
Regardless of the fact that the US is the leading source of emissions, Steyn's point is simply that the US... [MORE]	jon	Dec 17, 2007 15:20
Regardless of the fact that the US is the leading source of emissions, Steyn's point is simply that the US... [MORE]	Jon	Dec 17, 2007 15:21
Ethan, Your rounding seems to only work in one direction. While it may be nit picking: US pop = 4.57% of world... [MORE]	David	Dec 17, 2007 16:00
According to the World Bank figures for 2006, The US economy accounts for 27.4% of the world economy. siteresources.worldbank.org/DATASTATISTICS/Resources/GDP.pdf So what we... [MORE]	Deluded By Dawkins	Dec 20, 2007 08:13

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