General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: MSNBC Poll: Do you see climate change as a threat to your life or well-being? [View all]dipsydoodle
(42,239 posts)then good. We don't have them that often.
The US should've changed it mind 150 years ago.
Which nations are most responsible for climate change?
Historical emissions
Since carbon dioxide added to the atmosphere can stay there for centuries, historical emissions are just as important or even more important than current emissions. The tricky question of historical responsibility is one of the key tensions in the process of negotiating a global climate deal. The following figures from the World Resources Institute show the top 10 nations as measured by their cumulative emissions between 1850 and 2007. The US tops the list by a wide margin though Chinese emissions have risen significantly since these data were assembled.
1. US: 339,174 MT or 28.8%
2. China: 105,915 MT or 9.0%
3. Russia: 94,679 MT or 8.0%
4. Germany: 81,194.5 MT or 6.9%
5. UK: 68,763 MT or 5.8%
6. Japan: 45,629 MT or 3.87%
7. France: 32,667 MT or 2.77%
8. India: 28,824 MT or 2.44%
9. Canada: 25,716 MT or 2.2%
10. Ukraine: 25,431 MT or 2.2%
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2011/apr/21/countries-responsible-climate-change
Spilt milk comes to mind.
From a personal point of view I must confess it will be sad when a 3 degree increase causes hare grass to germinate earlier which will effectively wipe out bluebells.