China Wins The Coaled Medal

China has overtaken the US in carbon emissions, thanks to a growth rate that has far exceeded predictions and a suprising reduction in US emissions. Of course, the Guardian fails to mention that aspect in its report, but it does note that the US warned that any emissions protocols that excluded China would fail:

China has overtaken the United States as the world’s biggest producer of carbon dioxide, the chief greenhouse gas, figures released today show.
The surprising announcement will increase anxiety about China’s growing role in driving man-made global warming and will pile pressure onto world politicians to agree a new global agreement on climate change that includes the booming Chinese economy. China’s emissions had not been expected to overtake those from the US, formerly the world’s biggest polluter, for several years, although some reports predicted it could happen as early as next year.
But according to the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency, soaring demand for coal to generate electricity and a surge in cement production have helped to push China’s recorded emissions for 2006 beyond those from the US already. It says China produced 6,200m tonnes of CO2 last year, compared with 5,800m tonnes from the US. Britain produced about 600m tonnes.

The Senate saw this outcome in 1997, when they refused to consider the Kyoto treaty as long as it excluded China and India. The treaty resembled an economic suicide pact as it hamstrung energy production in Western nations while allowing the emerging economic powerhouses in Asia unrestricted use of its coal and oil resources. The Bush administration agreed and tried to implement an agreement that would have included China and India in a series of voluntary targets and financial incentives.
Europe objected to the effort, claiming that the Bush administration wanted to undermine emissions controls. However, their own track record shows that they have given nothing but lip service to the protocols they champion. A report last year shows Europe on pace to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions by a whopping 0.6% by 2010 — less than half of what we achieved last year alone here in the US.
China’s emergence as the top emitter years ahead of schedule shows the folly of both relying on Kyoto experts for predictions and the Kyoto treaty to reduce global emissions.

13 thoughts on “China Wins The Coaled Medal”

  1. Repeat after me: Environmentalism is a political movement, not a scientific movement.

  2. Capt’
    Well, it looks like it time for Al Gore and the planeteers to load up the lear and make a trip to Bejing. Let’s see if the Peoples Republic will accept his dogma and allow his movie to be shown on state television.
    Al has connections, maybe he can talk to the folks who helped underwrite the campaign a few elections back.
    All sarcasm aside, I wonder if the enviromentalist will go after the PRC? Will there be a “stink” (no pun intended) raised by these folks in their blogs & connections with the MSM? Will the enviromental issues in China be turned around and skewed as being a problem created by the US? I think the later, I’ll be reading this in a few days: Chinas carbon output is due greatly in part because of our, the USA’s, addiction to their trade?
    Herkeng

  3. Capt’
    Well, it looks like it time for Al Gore and the planeteers to load up the lear and make a trip to Bejing. Let’s see if the Peoples Republic will accept his dogma and allow his movie to be shown on state television.
    Al has connections, maybe he can talk to the folks who helped underwrite the campaign a few elections back.
    All sarcasm aside, I wonder if the enviromentalist will go after the PRC? Will there be a “stink” (no pun intended) raised by these folks in their blogs & connections with the MSM? Will the enviromental issues in China be turned around and skewed as being a problem created by the US? I think the later, I’ll be reading this in a few days: Chinas carbon output is due greatly in part because of our, the USA’s, addiction to their trade?
    Herkeng

  4. I think present hysteria on greenhouse gases is really a covered operation of the nuclear lobby. In any case it surely plays very well into their hands.
    The idea to use the End of the World to frighten the population to gain power and control is almost as old as humankind, still we fell for it yet again. I just hope we will not get to the stage of human sacrifices in the public squares to avert the process of Global Warming.
    And the funny thing is that it is all bogus…

  5. China is smarter than most. They are “meeting” their targets for greenhouse gas emissions! They have promised a 20% reduction PER UNIT OF GNP, and they are on track to meet it, thanks to things like the Three Gorges Dam, and the four other similar-size dams now under construction. Together they will contribute almost 20% of China’s power, carbon-free. Of course, with their economy growing so fast, their carbon output in absolute terms is rising rapidly.
    Perhaps the saving grace in all of this is that man-made carbon dioxide is only 0.12% of all greenhouse gasses, so it doesn’t really matter! If China doubles its output of CO2, global temperatures will go up by… carry the two…. NOTHING!

  6. It’s not China that is the biggest emitter of carbon, it’s the EU. Why isn’t it listed? Because the paradigm of the left allows EACH EU country to have separate emmissions calculations, rather than an aggregate. See, the European socialist state cannot be seen as the world’s greatest polluter. China, India and the US which have growing economies must be seen in their true evil. The EU, which signed Kyoto and pollutes now more than ever is a social paradise of PC and environmental correctness with all their citizens duly worshipping their all encompasing government in place of Christianity.

  7. Herkeng, I’m puzzled by your last paragraph.
    Environmentalists do complain, and have long complained, about Chinese environmental policies. 17,000 articles come up on this query alone: sierra club china environmental concerns.
    http://www.ask.com/web?q=sierra+club+china+environmental+concerns
    Pushing manufacturing from US to China does not deal with the consumption and recycling patterns that are the root cause of environmental damage. We’re exporting our problems (and importing debt) with China. Seems like a bad deal all around.

  8. Couldn’t wait for the good old days when the left crys for American cowboynism. See if their whining will have any effect on the new superpower – chicomm.

  9. China also produces more toxic toothpaste, toxic drugs, lead painted toys and toxic wheat gluten (pet food) than any other country.
    Virtually everything that China makes is cheap garbage, even the stuff they legitimately make on their own, and not just the counterfeited and pirated stuff.
    But alas, modern America seems to have a bottomless appetite for cheap garbage. And the sad truth is that slavery is good for business. So say hello to our future masters.

  10. From the WaPo article on the decline in US emissions:
    “A number of factors helped reduce emissions last year, according to the government, including weather conditions that reduced heating and air-conditioning use, higher gasoline prices that caused consumers to conserve, and a greater overall reliance on natural gas.”
    begin snark
    Bush can at least take credit for the high gas prices 😉
    end snark

  11. JohnJay stated : Herkeng, I’m puzzled by your last paragraph.
    Environmentalists do complain, and have long complained, about Chinese environmental policies. 17,000 articles come up on this query alone: sierra club china environmental concerns.
    http://www.ask.com/web?q=sierra+club+china+environmental+concerns
    Pushing manufacturing from US to China does not deal with the consumption and recycling patterns that are the root cause of environmental damage. We’re exporting our problems (and importing debt) with China. Seems like a bad deal all around.
    John
    I stand corrected. After being bombarded by the media each day concerning this issue, I feel like the entire thing is portrayed as an American caused problem. Why has the MSM not picked up on these Sierra Club reports?
    Orlando brings up the EU, he is correct. The environmental rules concerning emissions is way below the US. As an example, look at the emissions on a European car versus it’s sister that is imported to the US. There is a big difference on not only emission but safety as well.
    Herkeng

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