Pressure has already started building up on China since a new study revealed that the Asian super power had surpassed the United States to emerge as the emitter of maximum CO2.
China was a major offender for quite a while but environmentalists expected them to trail America till another three years. But thanks to China’s bulging economy and soaring demand for electricity, the country has exceeded the predictions and is now producing maximum amount of CO2, the main greenhouse gas.
The new study conducted by Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency says that China’s emission grew by nine percent last year, compared to previous year’s emission. Two years back, China was trailing US by two percent. Since then, America managed to curb it by one percent while China went on to lead the emission table by eight percent.
Naturally, China can expect a growing demand for a cap on its emission. There are also people who believe the West should do its bit and cooperate with China solve the environmental crisis.
Dr Fatih Birol, chief economist of the International Energy Agency, said
This is exactly in line with what we said. Without China and also India there is no way to address the climate change issue, but the main burden must be on the shoulders of the western countries who have got rich by burning coal. They must provide incentives.
John Ashton is a senior Foreign Office official who felt China needs to be told that it’s not a choice between prosperity and protecting the climate.
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