And so it has come to pass... China tops U.S. in CO2 emissions
As we noted back in April, China was due to pass the United States in amount of CO2 emitted earlier than the previously-expected 2010 date. As our sister site travel blog Gadling noted the other day, that unfortunate mark has come to pass. What an unwinnable race.The main culprit, of course, is China's economy and the masses of factories that produce tons of consumer goods for the rest of the world. Remember, each product on the store shelf - made in China or not - has a carbon footprint. One way to lighten that load is to buy less. Or drive less, as the increasing number of cars on the road in China might make one want to do.
That said, this is a complex issue. With China manufacturing prowess, it's clear there is a lot of green car potential in China. Here's a short list of recent posts we've had:
- Chinese academy develops big electric motors - 50,000 electric cars might come soon
- AFVI Show: Miles Automotive on the $30,000 Javlon XS500 all-electric sedan
- It's Official Chrysler and Chery deal signed in Beijing
- GM working on new small global four cylinders in Korea and China
- ZAP! vehicles on display at International Environmental Conference in China
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Hamster 8:58PM (7/16/2007)
Wow it actually happened - half of the world's population has finally passed the pollution produced by America alone.
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Kardax 10:16PM (7/16/2007)
Bah, we're still #1 in CO2-per-person. China's still got work to do ;)
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frank78 12:35AM (7/17/2007)
Actually, China is about 20% of the world's population.
Try to tell me that any country that developed into the world's #1 economic power and developed mostly after cars were invented AND is extremely large with great, viable land wouldn't be in the same circumstances we are. People applaud the meagerness most of Europe's countries live on- scooters, small diesel cars, small houses and apartments, etc. They developed that way because they had NO CHOICE and still don't to a great degree.
It is amusing to see people squeeze in an automatic negative comment about the US, when the topic is China. Why do some people who probably live here like to throw in any punch they can about the US???
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Pascal 4:50AM (7/17/2007)
Wow, I guess the Kyoto Treaty would have prevented this.
Not. Especially since China and India would have been totally exempt from the treaty. Now we can watch as China leaves the U.S. in the dust with regard to CO2 emissions and maybe people will realize the Kyoto Treaty was nothing but a sham.
It'd be nice if so-called environmentalists were focused on enabling green processes and methods by ALL nations instead of focused on U.S. bashing.
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Scatter 6:38AM (7/17/2007)
That's exactly what "so-called" environmentalists are doing Pascal. It's just that the developed nations must take a lead in reducing emissions and developing solutions because we have caused the bulk of climate change to date and have the resources and know-how to make the change.
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Owain Ozymandias Buck 7:54AM (7/17/2007)
That's a good point about how we must take the lead. It's not that we are so ashamed and guilty--it takes time for an unpleasant reality to be recognized as truth--but rather that if we are to bring pressure on China, we must have our own house in order first. We have to test ideas and have some good, hard data before we go demanding world wide management of CO2 emissions. Nothing kills a good argument like hipocrasy.
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Owain Ozymandias Buck 7:57AM (7/17/2007)
Ugh. H-Y-P-O-C-R-I-S-Y. The definition would be every simple misspelling I've made a joke of when proofing others' work! ;)
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Mikeeeeeeee 8:50AM (7/17/2007)
Hey, #5. You would think the country that is #1 in CO-2 should take the lead. That's China isn't it??? Why is it that everyone thinks the US should "do it all". Or maybe most of you really don't care because you love to buy cheap stuff and bash the US. When is the trip to China scheduled to protest the policies of the government. Better take a body bag with you so you have something to come home in.
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Scatter 9:05AM (7/17/2007)
No one's bashing the US. If you bothered to read my post you'll see that I said the "developed nations must take a lead" which includes the US, Canada, Europe, Australia, Japan...
We have been spewing out GHG for the past 150 years and it's only in the last couple of decades that the developing world is starting to catch up, mostly by producing underpriced goods for the developed markets. Therefore we should take the lead, especially as the worst effects of climate change are going to be felt not by us, but by the developing world.
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Manu Sharma 10:17AM (7/17/2007)
Well said, scatter.
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Mikeeeeeeee 12:45PM (7/17/2007)
Hey Scatter, when has any of those countries taken a lead on anything?????
Maybe you should lead by example. Park your car and buy a horse. Then, make sure you turn your computor off at night along with pulling the plug on your TV's, clock radios and any other appliance that has a memory in it. Another crusade you could go on is buy nothing from China. Let me know how you make out. You lead, I will follow
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Scatter 2:26PM (7/17/2007)
Maybe it's time they started then. Contraction and Convergence is the only way equitable forwards so better to start now. Quite apart from anything there's an enormous global market for low carbon technologies so the West will continue to prosper.
But seeing as you ask, I don't own a car and take public transport everywhere, have cut flights back as far as possible and only take at most one a year at the moment, I use energy saving lightbulbs, switch all electronics off standby, keep the heating low in winter, try to reduce water consumption and when I come to buying a house I will make sure it's as efficient as possible. I also work in sustainable energy and transport so I'm trying to actively contribute to the solution in some small way.
Yes I'm sure I buy stuff made in China - it's incredibly difficult not to - and there are definitely still significant areas in which I can reduce my impact (my food buying habits probably being the biggest). I haven't taken those steps yet but I will do. I'm not perfect and don't pretend to be, but I'm working to reduce my impact wherever possible.
So I guess it's your turn then Mikee. Let us know how you get on eh?
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Don 9:19PM (7/19/2007)
Has anyone BEEN to China lately? It's an ecological nightmare.
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