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The US emits vastly more per capita than China and India. If we’re going to have any chance of stopping this thing before it’s too late, we’re going to have to

The US emits vastly more per capita than China and India. If we’re going to have any chance of stopping this thing before it’s too late, we’re going to have to lead by example (and better, by investing our vast scientific and economic resources into the problem.) Right now China is building tons of coal, but it’s also deploying and building solar and wind much faster than we are. Asking poorer countries to take the burden when we haven’t cleaned up our current mess (let alone historical mess) is actually something we should be ashamed of.

eldaisfish 3y ago
The USA, India and China are all emitting carbon into the same atmosphere. Per capita is a useful metric in some contexts but not here. If china and india increase their coal energy generation to completely offset reductions in other regions, the reductions are rendered moot. Speaking of leading by example, the USA’s carbon emissions are on track to see their most significant declines in history. The best part is that private industry is leading the push because the incentives are in place.
- matthewdgreen 3y ago
  Per-capita is absolutely a useful metric when you're asking other countries to take on a burden. When we ask developing nations to reduce their emissions, they rightly point out that this will harm their citizens' living standards. A very good response to this objection would be to prove that we can maintain US-quality living standards while emitting much less per-capita CO2 than China or India do today. Unfortunately (and despite some modest reductions) we're giving them exactly the opposite example, and they're making decisions accordingly.
wolverine876 3y ago
Also, the US has emitted much more of the total historical output (though I don't know how much of that affects us today) and is vastly more wealthy. If you're the wealthiest person in town, you can't ask the people in the poor neighborhood to make extra sacrifices. The US has a very serious responsibility.

eldaisfish 3y ago

The USA, India and China are all emitting carbon into the same atmosphere. Per capita is a useful metric in some contexts but not here. If china and india increase their coal energy generation to completely offset reductions in other regions, the reductions are rendered moot. Speaking of leading by example, the USA’s carbon emissions are on track to see their most significant declines in history. The best part is that private industry is leading the push because the incentives are in place.

matthewdgreen 3y ago
Per-capita is absolutely a useful metric when you're asking other countries to take on a burden. When we ask developing nations to reduce their emissions, they rightly point out that this will harm their citizens' living standards. A very good response to this objection would be to prove that we can maintain US-quality living standards while emitting much less per-capita CO2 than China or India do today. Unfortunately (and despite some modest reductions) we're giving them exactly the opposite example, and they're making decisions accordingly.

wolverine876 3y ago

Also, the US has emitted much more of the total historical output (though I don't know how much of that affects us today) and is vastly more wealthy. If you're the wealthiest person in town, you can't ask the people in the poor neighborhood to make extra sacrifices. The US has a very serious responsibility.