From VOX comes the below interesting chart showing the global growth in carbon emissions, and the countries that are driving it:
According to this chart, China’s carbon emissions have soared in the past 15 years, and are now around double the level of the US (but obviously much less in per capita terms). The rest of the increase in global emissions has come primarily from oil-producing countries, as well as other Asian nations.
Obviously, this creates a conundrum for the world in attempting to lower carbon emissions, since any meaningful reduction requires action from developing nations. However, these developing nations are likely to push back on any reduction effort, believing that the West burned with impunity to reach their high level of development, so why shouldn’t they?
With these realities in mind, Noah Smith has proposed a five-point plan for the US to help China and other developing nations to shift away from dirty sources like coal, namely:
- Transfer technology to China to assist them to frack for shale gas and develop solar power;
- Pay China to implement clean technologies;
- Tax carbon-intensive imports, in order to incentivise Chinese companies to reduce emissions;
- Increase research funding for solar technology in the US; and
- Implement a carbon tax or equivalent in the US to spur research and development in cleaner technologies.
While interesting, I can’t see too many of these measures getting up in the US given the domestic political forces at play.
