Goldstone69

China has already overtaken the US as the world's "biggest polluter", a report to be published next month says.
The research suggests the country's greenhouse gas emissions have been underestimated, and probably passed those of the US in 2006-2007.
The University of California team will report their work in the Journal of Environment Economics and Management.
They warn that unchecked future growth will dwarf any emissions cuts made by rich nations under the Kyoto Protocol.

Dr Auffhammer told BBC News that his projections had made an assumption that the Chinese government's recent aggressive energy efficiency programme would fail, as the previous one had failed badly.
"Our figures for emissions growth are truly shocking," he said.
"But there is no sense pointing a finger at the Chinese. They are trying to pull people out of poverty and they clearly need help.
"The only solution is for a massive transfer of technology and wealth from the West."
He acknowledged that this eventuality was unlikely.
Those scientists aspiring to stabilise global emissions growth before 2020 to prevent what they believe may be irreversible damage to the climate may be wondering how this can possibly be achieved.

BBC NEWS | Asia-Pacific | China 'now top carbon polluter'



My low energy light bulbs are looking even more futile ....are we already doomed ?

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"One must never forget that monetary union, which the two of us were the first to propose more than a decade ago is ultimately a political project. It aims to give a new impulse to the historic movement towards union of the European states. Monetary union is a federative project that needs to be accompanied and followed by other steps." — Giscard d'Estaing and Helmut Schmidt

notahack

If you go to Taiwan (not China) you will see people conducting their day to day lives wearing masks. The masks are so accepted that they have different colors, some with artwork etc. Pollution has become a way of life.

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"We have met the enemy and he is us" Pogo

TheHat

Good now maybe they will include China in the Kyoto "fascist" doctrine.

And they can finally leave us alone.

The Lying Dutchman

leave you alone? you mean the US? the west? is the logic: china pollutes so we should not be held responsible for our share?

Goldstone69

The West still pollutes more per head of population as the Chinese point out but if this study is correct then it matters little about being responsible .
We should perhaps put our energies and resources into preparing for the effects of climate change we are already at the point of no return i can see no willingness to take the dramatic measures needed ...why go through the pain of trying?
London is already considering building a £20 Billion New Thames Barrier now that would be money well spent....the over priced eco bulbs are going in the bin

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"One must never forget that monetary union, which the two of us were the first to propose more than a decade ago is ultimately a political project. It aims to give a new impulse to the historic movement towards union of the European states. Monetary union is a federative project that needs to be accompanied and followed by other steps." — Giscard d'Estaing and Helmut Schmidt

Slovenec

china has 10 times more people than usa and as big pollution as usa.
hm...

Caltex

More like 4X as many...

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Slovenec

i wonder, when will be to die 30 years old because pollution the way of live...

TheHat

My point exactly! Why bother spending billions for something you can neither create nor destroy?

Past the point of no return? We cant change entire global climates. I am sorry, it is humanly impossible to do this. Whether we burn some oil or some coal, the planet is gonna get hot and it is gonna get cold. We cant stop it, if we did we would kill ourselves.


You mean the eco bulbs that are not eco friendly? The ones that if they shatter and break, will spread more pollutants then otherwise be used if not for the wackos in the EPA? The same bulbs tht require the swat team to come and clean up?

nemesis

Considering that a large portion of China's pollution is created by American manufacturers to manufacture American goods I'd say that China's new title as World's Greatest Polluter was won due to the technicality that China just so happens to be were the pollution created for making the goods that we consume end up.