Source: Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA): International Energy Outlook 2006. Table A10 (DOE/EIA-0383, Washington, DC, February 2006). Based on National Energy Modeling System, run AEO2006.D111905A and System for the Analysis of Global Energy Markets (2006).
Note: USA includes the 50 States and the District of Columbia. US numbers include carbon dioxide emissions attributable to renewable energy sources.

According to this scenario of the U.S. Energy Information Administration, China has already outpaced Europe in carbon dioxide emissions and will overtake the United States of America in about 10 years. By 2030, China's carbon dioxide emission will be more than twice as much as that of OECD Europe.

Remarkable in this scenario is the carbon dioxide emission of India, which is currently about one third of China's. By 2030, India is projected to have a CO₂ emission of a little more than 2,000 million metric tons - as compared to almost 11,000 million metric tons in the case of China.

These number seem to prove that any discussion about "Global Warming" that does not take into account China is worthless. On the other hand, one shouldn't overlook the fact that much of China's spectacular increase in carbon dioxide emissions is based on assumptions about future economic trends - which might or might not come true.

Copyright © 2006, 2007, 2008 by Gerhard K. Heilig. All rights reserved.