From: Jurriaan Bendien (adsl675281@TISCALI.NL)
Date: Sat Dec 08 2007 - 11:56:10 EST
BALI - A report released today by the Washington, DC-based National Environmental Trust demonstrates that many U.S. states individually emit more greenhouse gases than hundreds of developing nations combined. The report, "Taking Responsibility: Why the United States Must Lead the World in Reducing Global Warming Pollution," compares annual state emissions data to that of developing and developed nations, graphically illustrating the scope of individual U.S. states' contribution to global warming. The report is being released at the U.N. climate change conference in Bali, Indonesia, where delegates from more than 180 countries are meeting to set parameters for a new international emissions reduction pact to combat global warming, in time to succeed the Kyoto Protocol. "The data is clear - the United States has long been, and remains, the world's most prolific emitter of greenhouse gases. "We have a clear responsibility to reduce our own pollution and help poorer countries respond to the current and future impacts of global warming," said Angela Anderson, Vice President for Climate Programs, National Environmental Trust. "U.S. politicians cannot credibly insist that developing countries make reductions until the U.S. steps up and takes concrete action to reduce global warming pollution on par with our historical emissions." The report shows that the U.S. is responsible for 27.8% of the cumulative global warming pollution, while all developing nations' emissions put together totals just 23 percent. Many individual U.S. states release more GHG emissions than entire groups of developing countries. For example: 42 U.S. states individually emit more C02 than 100 developing countries. Even Wyoming, the most sparsely populated state in the U.S., with only 510,000 people, emits more carbon dioxide than 69 developing countries that are home to 357 million. http://www.net.org/proactive/newsroom/release.vtml?id=29273 In the topsyturvy world we live in, the USA invades Iraq and Afghanistan at the cost of half a trillion dollars, to secure its geostrategic position for oil supplies, while its gas-guzzling cars and industries account for a quarter of the world's carbon dioxide emissions, affecting weather patterns which in fact disadvantage poor countries the most. How any world leader can calls this a responsible policy I don't know. The way things are going, hundreds of millions of offspring from people in developing countries will never be able to drive a car, even if they could afford one. Jurriaan
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.5 : Mon Dec 31 2007 - 00:00:04 EST