CO2 Emissions Shrink, in a Few Cases

A handful of countries are actually lowering their emissions per person

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The world is hurtling toward greater global warming, thanks to ever-increasing CO2 emissions. Although the U.S. and China emit much more CO2 than other countries do, it is surprising to learn that some very small countries have the highest emissions rates per person (see our graph, here). It is also surprising to learn, however, that a handful of countries have actually lowered their per capita emissions. The plots below reveal these interesting places (blue dots).

Click the graphic to see the full, expanded version.

SOURCE: WORLD RESOURCE'S INSTITUTE'S CAIT CLIMATE DATA EXPLORER HTTP://CAT2.WRI.ORG Graphic by Jan Willem Tulp forScientific American


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Mark Fischetti was a senior editor at Scientific American for nearly 20 years and covered sustainability issues, including climate, environment, energy, and more. He assigned and edited feature articles and news by journalists and scientists and also wrote in those formats. He was founding managing editor of two spin-off magazines: Scientific American Mind and Scientific American Earth 3.0. His 2001 article “Drowning New Orleans” predicted the widespread disaster that a storm like Hurricane Katrina would impose on the city. Fischetti has written as a freelancer for the New York Times, Sports Illustrated, Smithsonian and many other outlets. He co-authored the book Weaving the Web with Tim Berners-Lee, inventor of the World Wide Web, which tells the real story of how the Web was created. He also co-authored The New Killer Diseases with microbiologist Elinor Levy. Fischetti has a physics degree and has twice served as Attaway Fellow in Civic Culture at Centenary College of Louisiana, which awarded him an honorary doctorate. In 2021 he received the American Geophysical Union’s Robert C. Cowen Award for Sustained Achievement in Science Journalism. He has appeared on NBC’s Meet the Press, CNN, the History Channel, NPR News and many radio stations.

More by Mark Fischetti
Scientific American Magazine Vol 313 Issue 4This article was published with the title “CO2 Emissions Shrink, in a Few Cases” in Scientific American Magazine Vol. 313 No. 4 ()
doi:10.1038/scientificamerican102015-2yq3Dw9L266FvMy3vctQUE

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