Environment

Who Are the Worlds Biggest Polluters?

Forestwood

No words necessary. The Graph speaks for itself.

https://www.climatetrade.com/which-countries-are-the-worlds-biggest-carbon-polluters/

Published by Forestwood

A philosophic Aussie writes here at StPA, one who will readily admit to loving Scandinavia. I'm interested in global politics and what drives us to be who we are. Scratch the surface and you'll find a practical Environmentalist with an egalitarian bent, trying to unleash a little creativity via the written word. Scandinavian culture, literature and traditions are close to my heart, even though I'm Australian. Travel and courteous discussions greatly broaden the mind, so I travel if I can and am always up for a vigorous, respectful discussion. I'm an avid reader, a writer and I enjoy photography and crafts, particularly traditional art forms. I hope you'll find 'Something to Ponder About,' in my WordPress Community.

31 thoughts on “Who Are the Worlds Biggest Polluters?”

    1. China’s increase in emissions can be seen in the graph. Whilst the major polluters have stabilized their output, the developing countries have naturally increased their emissions as they industrialize. I don’t think you can divide the countries financially, and obviously this does not take into account population densities. We all know that Bejing’s air quality is atrocious, so their emphasis on encouraging solar energy and producing solar panels is admirable. Russia and Japan are big consumers to but relatively stable presumably from their reliance on Nuclear energy. We also see the significant role of aviation and shipping industries.

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    1. It is in their best interests to reduce coal – presumably from a financial perspective. I would like to think it was from an ecological perspective but I have no basis to think that.

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      1. Time well invested 🙂 I speak to my little students about how they can be “Heroes for the environment” every day. We talk a lot about climate changes and all the little things everyone can do to help save our planet.

        Liked by 4 people

  6. Amanda, the worry is the growth of India and China and the last four years of lack of leadership in the US (on top of the eight under George W. Bush, with his petroleum industry VP Dick Cheney). Good things happened in the US in spite of the former president on battling climate change, but not nearly enough. Now that the cost of renewables is more favorable, we hopefully will see more progress, but it takes years for it too appear. in the numbers Keith

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    1. I am watching the growth of India, particularly, but yes indeed China as well. Significant change does take some time to filter through and effect the overall situation, as you inferred. And yet, within two years, our renewable industry has made huge leaps forward and so that give me some level of optimism that things may get worse, but hopefully the worst won’t last long. Covid has certainly given us an insight into what that might look like, hasn’t it?

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      1. True. Glad to hear of the strides. We are all much further along on renewables than believed, but need to be even more so. As for COVID, we rarely need petrol these days as our driving is so limited.

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      2. Isn’t that an interesting turn of events. Noone would have voluntarily given up their petrol and outing so this is another undesirable but positive spin-off from Covid. I think things will every fairly quickly in this regard if Covid was eliminated, don’t you think. The temptation to get out and travel in the car is high for both our countries. But perhaps this interlude gives electric car technology the chance to further develop?

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  7. I was surprised China was so high, although I guess I shouldn’t have been. Not surprised at all about the U.S. numbers. One thing is certain: They have to come down, down, down or the world is in big trouble.

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    1. China is high because of its escalting industrialization and it buys Australian coal. ( a dirty product and a dirty word!).
      Absolutely, I agree we need emissions to come down, down, down. What do you think the best way is? What would Americans think of a tax on emissions? Politically, it has claimed a few heads of those who have tried here.

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      1. Americans would not be at all enthused about a tax on emissions. I think we need to kick the fossil fuel habit, go electric, and conserve. Sounds simple enough, but the fossil fuel companies make it hard.

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      2. I think adding a tax is a hard sell and such an easy argument against for any opposition party. But we shall but try. Maybe a tax that is not a tax. In the Scandi countries, they love taxes because they get so much value from them. I wonder if that might be the key?

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  8. A couple of years ago friends went to China for a holiday was supposed to be for 10days they came home after 4 as the pollution was so bad they said you couldn’t see 50mtrs ahead & to have to go in & out of that to get to country areas, they decided it wasn’t worth the health risks.
    I cannot even imagine living in countries like that we truly are blessed in our country of Aussie.

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    1. I know, right? I remember seeing photographs of folks banned from the streets prior to the Olympics, due to poor air quality in Beijing. Chinese touriest from there were apprently gobsmacked when they came here for a holiday as they were confused as to why the sky was blue! Can you imagine?
      Mind you, I believe a lot of Eastern and central Europe was like this in the 80’s but things there are far better now.

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  9. I was interested to learn recently that animal farming, and animal product consumption (including our relentless pillaging of the oceans) rates as the 2nd highest contributor to global warming. It gave me a whole new way of viewing the vegans of our world – and no, I haven’t fully joined their cause. Our animal product consumption has radically dropped though. Just one little thing we can all do for our lovely planet. I had previously been leaving absolutely everything to reverse the situation to the governments of our world. It’s a good feeling to know that as individuals we all have something we can do apart from just making our voices heard. Our mouths can literally do some of the talking.

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    1. Hey Chris! Good to hear you are back safely from your trip up north.
      Absolutely, the methane and carbon emissions from cattle farming is extremely significant. In a recent post https://forestwoodfolkart.wordpress.com/2021/02/21/can-we-defeat-climate-change/ I mentioned how there is proposals to turn farms into carbon sinks and feed cattle seaweed which will gives a 90% reduction of methane, at least. Feedlot beef cattle raising is despicable. Feeding cattle chicken poop and keeping them in those cages with no grass seems brutally cruel. Cutting down on our meat consumption, particularly feedlot beef, reduces demand and public pressure assists greatly with encouraging sustainable practices. Without becoming vegan, we can indeed make our voices heard.

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    1. There is a balance we need to find. To not support purchase of unnecessary, frivolous items and packagaing that produce carbon emissions. How often do we as a consuming public check the origin of the item we are buying. The T-shirt from Walmart that comes from Bangladesh that might perpetuate sweatshops, the cheap plastic toy from China that breaks in two minutes for a child who already has loads of toys?
      Is this what you were referring to, Dorothy?

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      2. And your are not the only ones at fault. We are too, as are most western industrialized countries. It bothers me that our trash is sent to third world countries for cash. They have more than enough of their own to handle, but are cash poor, so accept our recyclable trash that we can’t recycle ourselves. I feel horrified that someone else is our dumping ground.

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      4. Now that would be a good incentive to have some kind of useability index, whereby producers would have to show how ethical and economic their potential products and “scraps” were. The by products can and must be used elsewhere in a meaningful way. The had been done great initiatives there. Even with something as simple as discarded coffee grounds.

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