Openmind
Well-Known Member
China (but NOT India)is a bigger offenders than USA as a whole.
HOWEVER, if you look at the PER CAPITA, the USA is the biggest offender, AND, under Trump, USA is not working to lower its impact.
"Developed country Parties should continue taking the lead by undertaking economy-wide absolute emission reduction targets," the text says. "Developing country Parties should continue enhancing their mitigation efforts, and are encouraged to move over time towards economy-wide emission reduction or limitation targets in the light of different national circumstances."
The distinction is made because developed countries, on a per capita basis, often produce more greenhouse gases than developing countries. Pruitt claimed that China and India and are polluting more than the United States, but that's misleading.
China (but not India) does produce more carbon dioxide than the United States, but it has nearly 1.4 billion people compared to 325 million for the United States. So, on a per capita basis, the United States in 2015 produced more than double the carbon dioxide emissions as China -- and eight times more than India.
While some small countries have higher per capita pollution rates than the United States, the United States is by far the largest emitter of carbon dioxide among the 10 most populous countries.
So what did China and India pledge to do in their plans?
China, in its submission, said that, compared to 2005 levels, it would cut its carbon emissions by 60 percent to 65 percent per unit of GDP by 2030. India said it would reduce its emissions per unit of economic output by 33 percent to 35 percent below 2005 by 2030.
Note that both countries pledge to reach these goals by 2030, meaning they are taking steps now to meet their commitments.
India, for instance, seeks to have renewable power make up 40 percent of its power base by 2030, so it is investing heavily in solar energy. The country is now on track to become the world's third-largest solar power market in 2018, after China and the United States. China is also investing heavily in renewable energy.
The United States, under President Barack Obama, pledged to reduce emissions by 26 percent to 28 percent by 2025, compared to 2005 levels. It was an ambitious program, but President Donald Trump is rapidly abandoning the regulations and programs that Obama hoped would help the U.S. meet the goal.
The Climate Action Tracker, an independent science-based assessment that tracks emission commitments and actions of countries, rates China and India as making "medium" efforts toward addressing climate change, not entirely consistent with achieving the Paris goal of limiting warming below 2 degrees Celsius.
The U.S. is also rated as medium. But the group has said that if Trump follows through on an executive order that seeks to roll back Obama administration efforts, the United States would be rated as making "inadequate" efforts. Under the Trump approach, U.S. emissions would be about the same in 2025 and 2030 as today, the group said.
Pruitt clearly needs to brush up on the Paris Accord, as it's false to claim that China and India have "no obligations" until 2030.
China and India, just like the United States, have made commitments that are supposed to be fulfilled by 2030, meaning they have to take action now in order to meet those goals. The United States made more substantial commitments -- which the Trump administration is abandoning -- because the United States, on a per capita basis, is a much bigger polluter than either country."
Fact check: Do China, India have obligations before 2030 under Paris climate accord?
GLENN KESSLER | Washington Post
HOWEVER, if you look at the PER CAPITA, the USA is the biggest offender, AND, under Trump, USA is not working to lower its impact.
"Developed country Parties should continue taking the lead by undertaking economy-wide absolute emission reduction targets," the text says. "Developing country Parties should continue enhancing their mitigation efforts, and are encouraged to move over time towards economy-wide emission reduction or limitation targets in the light of different national circumstances."
The distinction is made because developed countries, on a per capita basis, often produce more greenhouse gases than developing countries. Pruitt claimed that China and India and are polluting more than the United States, but that's misleading.
China (but not India) does produce more carbon dioxide than the United States, but it has nearly 1.4 billion people compared to 325 million for the United States. So, on a per capita basis, the United States in 2015 produced more than double the carbon dioxide emissions as China -- and eight times more than India.
While some small countries have higher per capita pollution rates than the United States, the United States is by far the largest emitter of carbon dioxide among the 10 most populous countries.
So what did China and India pledge to do in their plans?
China, in its submission, said that, compared to 2005 levels, it would cut its carbon emissions by 60 percent to 65 percent per unit of GDP by 2030. India said it would reduce its emissions per unit of economic output by 33 percent to 35 percent below 2005 by 2030.
Note that both countries pledge to reach these goals by 2030, meaning they are taking steps now to meet their commitments.
India, for instance, seeks to have renewable power make up 40 percent of its power base by 2030, so it is investing heavily in solar energy. The country is now on track to become the world's third-largest solar power market in 2018, after China and the United States. China is also investing heavily in renewable energy.
The United States, under President Barack Obama, pledged to reduce emissions by 26 percent to 28 percent by 2025, compared to 2005 levels. It was an ambitious program, but President Donald Trump is rapidly abandoning the regulations and programs that Obama hoped would help the U.S. meet the goal.
The Climate Action Tracker, an independent science-based assessment that tracks emission commitments and actions of countries, rates China and India as making "medium" efforts toward addressing climate change, not entirely consistent with achieving the Paris goal of limiting warming below 2 degrees Celsius.
The U.S. is also rated as medium. But the group has said that if Trump follows through on an executive order that seeks to roll back Obama administration efforts, the United States would be rated as making "inadequate" efforts. Under the Trump approach, U.S. emissions would be about the same in 2025 and 2030 as today, the group said.
Pruitt clearly needs to brush up on the Paris Accord, as it's false to claim that China and India have "no obligations" until 2030.
China and India, just like the United States, have made commitments that are supposed to be fulfilled by 2030, meaning they have to take action now in order to meet those goals. The United States made more substantial commitments -- which the Trump administration is abandoning -- because the United States, on a per capita basis, is a much bigger polluter than either country."
Fact check: Do China, India have obligations before 2030 under Paris climate accord?
GLENN KESSLER | Washington Post
