Climate change has been the hottest topic discussed all around the globe for quite a while. The most powerful nations have been at the forefront of the battle with global warming. Some of them are taking steps toward making the world a better place, while others continue to contribute to the problem.
It’s hard to believe that only three countries can be responsible for almost half of the world’s carbon emissions. China, US, and India are the main offenders, as they cumulatively release around 17 metric tons per year (48%). The rest of the carbon spending is split between the remaining 193 countries in the world.
Stats can sometimes be deceiving, however. Since some countries have populations much larger than others, carbon emissions per capita should be looked at as well. Surprisingly, Qatar reigns supreme in this category with a whopping 49 total carbon dioxide emissions per person (tCO2). The US also ranks high with 16 tCO2.
We are entering uncharted territory with global climate change. Frequent temperature anomalies and rising levels of the increasingly warmer seas seem to be the norm nowadays. Instead of contributing, developed countries should aim to fix the problem. Unfortunately, that’s not the case at this time.