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In reply to the discussion: Can we achieve growth & equality while kicking Climate Change? [View all]NoOneMan
(4,795 posts)30. Check this out regarding global emissions....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_greenhouse_gas_emissions_per_capita
Lets assume that 2000 are "safe" emission levels that we want to get back to, and make sure everyone, everywhere emits those levels as a ceiling. Ok, so the per capita world average is 6.8 tonnes CO2 (US is 24). Now, countries living like Zimbabwe, Azerbaijan, Angola, Switzerland*, Bulgaria are where we have to be everywhere to obtain that level (though that level really isn't safe from what we understand today). Thats a massive drop in the US standard of living for sure. Would we be able to raise everyone up to Angola level standard of living and increase the global average standard of living? Maybe actually (but this implies production in the lower countries). Would we all want to?
Lets assume that 2000 are "safe" emission levels that we want to get back to, and make sure everyone, everywhere emits those levels as a ceiling. Ok, so the per capita world average is 6.8 tonnes CO2 (US is 24). Now, countries living like Zimbabwe, Azerbaijan, Angola, Switzerland*, Bulgaria are where we have to be everywhere to obtain that level (though that level really isn't safe from what we understand today). Thats a massive drop in the US standard of living for sure. Would we be able to raise everyone up to Angola level standard of living and increase the global average standard of living? Maybe actually (but this implies production in the lower countries). Would we all want to?
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It's not the size of our economy, it's our income distribution that's the problem.
pampango
Jan 2013
#59
These ideas can't do anything for the global situation unless implemented en masse
NoOneMan
Jan 2013
#15