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Environment > Pollution > Carbon Dioxide per capita: Countries Compared

Ian Graham, Staff Editor

Author: Ian Graham, Staff Editor

Researchers at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Climate Monitoring Diagnostics Laboratory on Mauna Loa volcano in Hawaii say the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) there has reached a new high of 378 parts per million. <p>They also report that the annual growth rate of CO2, which has increased every year since 1958, has been about twice as high in the past decade as it was in the 1960s. However, the increase in the past year was lower than in the previous two years. <p>The Mauna Loa lab, located 3,500 meters (11,500 feet) above sea level, is ideal for atmospheric research because there is no obvious pollution source or natural sink, such as a forest, nearby.
DEFINITION: Tons of Carbon Dioxide produced per capita in 1998 or latest available year. Carbon dioxide from energy use only. Excludes international marine bunkers.

CONTENTS

# COUNTRY AMOUNT DATE GRAPH
1 United States 20 1998
=2 Luxembourg 17 1998
=2 Australia 17 1998
4 Canada 16 1998
=5 Finland 12 1998
=5 Czech Republic 12 1998
=5 Belgium 12 1998
=8 Denmark 11 1998
=8 Netherlands 11 1998
Group of 7 countries (G7) average (profile) 11 1998
=10 Ireland 10 1998
=10 Germany 10 1998
High income OECD countries average (profile) 9.92 1998
=12 Japan 9 1998
=12 United Kingdom 9 1998
=14 Austria 8 1998
=14 Greece 8 1998
=14 Iceland 8 1998
=14 Poland 8 1998
=14 South Korea 8 1998
=14 New Zealand 8 1998
=14 Norway 8 1998
21 Italy 7 1998
=22 Sweden 6 1998
=22 Switzerland 6 1998
=22 Hungary 6 1998
=22 Spain 6 1998
=22 France 6 1998
27 Portugal 5 1998
28 Mexico 4 1998
29 Turkey 3 1998

Citation

Environment > Pollution > Carbon Dioxide per capita: Countries Compared Map

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Interesting observations about Environment > Pollution > Carbon Dioxide per capita

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Researchers at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Climate Monitoring Diagnostics Laboratory on Mauna Loa volcano in Hawaii say the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) there has reached a new high of 378 parts per million. <p>They also report that the annual growth rate of CO2, which has increased every year since 1958, has been about twice as high in the past decade as it was in the 1960s. However, the increase in the past year was lower than in the previous two years. <p>The Mauna Loa lab, located 3,500 meters (11,500 feet) above sea level, is ideal for atmospheric research because there is no obvious pollution source or natural sink, such as a forest, nearby.

Posted on 01 Apr 2005

Ian Graham, Staff Editor

Ian Graham, Staff Editor

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Per capita is what is important. Mind you, environmental conservation is not a race between countries, it is a global effort together.

As far as nature is concerned, China isn't an entity. We're all in the same boat, and if they can emit less per capita, that's what matters.

And not only that, China has done one thing great, and that is getting its act together to control that 1.3 billion population. And with China so rapidly developing better public transit systems and alternative energy technologies, I think the problem is actually back home, where we waste on SUV's, 5000-watt electric clothes dryers and living in sprawled, inefficient suburbia.

Posted on 17 Sep 2010

eecs

eecs

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How recent is this data? I just see 1998 mentioned.

Posted on 15 Dec 2009

Sean

Sean

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Joe, Europe does not have a single currency, it has multiple currencies. The UK for example still has the pound (sterling) and does not use the euro.

You cannot calculate the per capita pollution from Europe from the data above. You need to know the actual CO2 numbers and the population of each country and re-compute the equation. It is not simply a matter of summing the numbers. I agree that it would be interesting to see the overall EU number but I would expect it to be lower than the US given the average home sizes and cars are smaller.

Posted on 15 Dec 2009

Sean

Sean

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You act like because China and India aren't on the list that it's some sort of conspiracy.

China has three times the population of the US but only recently surpassed it as the #1 CO2 emitting country.

This reflects poorly on the US NOT on China. They have a huge population, their CO2 usage is completely expected.

What's disgusting is how entitled Americans think they are. One single American uses the most amount of energy in the world.

Posted on 13 Dec 2009

what's your point

what's your point

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Where is CHINA???

CHINA is the #1 CO2 emitter country, yet that FACT is conveniently covered up because some people like to divide up their CO2 output by their 1.3+ billion population.

Isn't that special...

Posted on 08 Dec 2009

antispin

antispin

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So actually the EU is the largest emitter of carbon dioxide per capita. Since the EU is under one leader and has a trade block with the same currency its only fair to state they pollute the most.

Posted on 26 Nov 2009

joe

joe

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