On June 19, 2007 China announced carbon emission data revealing it had exceeded the U.S’ overall for the first time. Although it was still streets behind America in terms of pollution by head of population. However, this had little to do with the U.S. tacking its own reputation as the worst emitter in the world. It was simply confirming China’s astounding industrial growth.
Despite This, China’s Worst Emitter Status Surprised Some
This had come ‘as a bit of jolt’ to some, as environmentalists believed China would surpass the U S only in the coming years. “With this, China tops the list of CO2 emitting countries for the first time,” the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency said.
“Almost all scientists say rising amounts of carbon dioxide will bring more droughts, floods, desertification, heatwaves, disease and rising seas.” Earlier that same month, the Group of Eight leading industrial nations had pledged to make “substantial cuts in emissions”. America urged China and other developing nations to step up efforts in this direction almost as if deflecting attention.
The Data Identifying China as Worst Emitter in the World
The Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency confirmed China’s emissions had exceeded the U.S. by 8% in 2006, the previous year.
Interestingly, it was still 2% behind in 2005, and so this represented a huge alarming shift.
Even more concerning, America, previously the worst emitter had done little to reverse its own alarming increase in greenhouse gases. Two months earlier, the International Energy Agency had predicted China would only surpass the United States in 2007 or 2008.
This new development was particularly alarming for low-lying countries and island nations because of increased risk of flooding. However, China’s emissions per head of population were still only a quarter of America’s in 2007.
This was despite China’s economy registering double-digit growth for four years in a row. And expanding by 11.1 percent in the first quarter year on year as a result of booming exports and investments. The West’s cushion of low carbon nations was about to disappear, without any real alternative forthcoming.
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Preview Image: China Power Station in 2005
