China to top USA in greenhouse emissions

[MGD]

Source: The Associated Press.

SHANGHAI — China will overtake the USA as the world's biggest source of greenhouse gasses this year, a news report cited the International Energy Agency as saying.

China had been forecast to surpass the USA. in 2010, but its sizzling economic growth has pushed the date forward, IEA chief economist Fatih Birol was quoted as saying in an interview in Tuesday's Wall Street Journal newspaper.

"In the past couple of months, economic growth and related coal consumption has grown at such an unexpected rate," Birol was quoted as saying. China's rising emissions will effectively cancel out other countries' attempts to reduce their own, he said.

Birol's comments mark the direst prediction yet about China's contribution to global warming.



Read more: http://www.usatoday.com/weather/climate/globalwarming/2007-04-24-china-emissions_N.htm?csp=34

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Man, those Chinese are beating us at everything. We're gonna have to sell a lot more SUVs if we're going to stay number 1 in greenhouse gas emissions.

[cliss]

1. China just got itself

an Internal population control system. It makes sense that they would bypass the US early, because they burn coal. Plus, they have 1.5 billion people versus US pop. of 330 million.

The industrial pollution going on in this country is astounding. I've read accounts of how they just dump thousands of gallons of toxic industrial chemicals, right into the waterways. They show absolutely no concern or remorse about this kind of thing. It's growth at all, costs, any costs, hang the consequences.

Meanwhile, downstream, 1,000 people get sick with strange symptoms. There are some deaths, more to be expected.

Uncontrolled growth = population stabilization.

[Alacrat]

2. How would Kyoto protocol effect China?

If Kyoto were to go into effect, would China have to follow it, or would they be immune from the emissions standards?
I should be more familiar with this, but unfortunately I'm not. I do know that some countries would be required to follow it, and others would be exempt.

[Psephos]

3. As a "developing country," China is exempt. That's why they signed it so quickly.

India got the same deal.

Meanwhile, many European countries are exceeding their agreed-upon limits, which are measured against 1990 emissions levels. Austria was set a Kyoto target of -13 percent, but emissions are running at +16.6 percent. Italy's target was -6.5 percent, and its actual emissions are +11.6 percent. Others that are off target include Belgium, the Netherlands and Spain, while France, Britain and Germany are nearer to being on track, but still over.

Japan is way over targets, and won't meet its 2010 obligation. Its only hope is to buy carbon credits, which are the rich man's way of pretending to cut back.

Canada is over its Kyoto limits by about 25%.

This is more than you asked for, but China should not be the only target of concern.

Peace.

on edit: Wikipedia actually has a pretty good Kyoto page.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyoto_Protocol

[Alacrat]

4. WOW!

Thanks Psephos,
That is more than I asked, but very good information. I understand exempting developing countries,but exempting China seems like a stretch, especially when they exceed the output of the United States.
Thanks again.