China’s share of the global Climate Debt is growing fast
In 2010 China’s share of the global Climate Debt was 7.4% and by January 2016 it has grown dramatically to 13.3% (see the ‘ranking’). Since 2000 the Chinese share of the growing global CO2 Emissions has grown from 13.7% to about 29.0% (preliminary emissions by 2014). Luckily, the populous superpower has committed itself to pursue “efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 °C” … according to the COP21 Paris Agreement. The following examines the development of CO2 Emissions, Environmental Performance, GDP(ppp-$), Climate Debt and Population (with respect to the one-child policy).
The United States’ huge share of the growing global Climate Debt is decreasing
Worldwide, eyes are on the United States due to its massive historic greenhouse gas emissions and its sabotage of attempts to reach a fair and globally binding reduction agreement. Instead, the world is stocked with “intended nationally determined contributions towards achieving the objective […] consistent with holding the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above preindustrial levels and pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C.” If this baloney-goal is to be taken seriously, then the United States must cut emissions from fossil fuels by around 80% (give and take), within fifteen years, or so. The following examines the development of CO2 Emissions, Environmental Performance, GDP(ppp-$) and accumulated Climate Debt.
Climate Debt: Qatar ranks 1st … while buying FC Barcelona branding with Fossil Fuel revenue
The authoritarian oil state of Qatar is a prime example of the titanic hypocrisy written into numerous ‘pledges (INDCs) prior to COP21‘ in Paris. The overall objective of the Paris Agreement is to limit global warming to 1.5-2°C compared to pre-industrial times. Consequently, the major part of all known global fossil fuel reserves will have to stay in ground. Today, Qatar is the largest per capita fossil fuel producer, the largest per capita fossil fuel CO2 emitter and the richest country in the world. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that Qatar also has the largest accumulated per capita Climate Debt in ClimatePositions (see the updated ‘ranking’ by January 2016).
Back in 2008 the ‘Qatar National Vision 2030’ stated that: “Qatar’s progress has depended primarily on the exploitation of its oil and gas resources. But the country’s hydrocarbon resource will eventually run out.” And then this monster of a fake statement: “Qatar will meet the needs of this generation without compromising the needs of future generations.” The fact is that Qatar since 2008 has increased CO2 Emissions from fossil fuels by 48% and fossil fuel production by around 67%. The following examines ‘Qatar’s 2015-pledges (INDCs)‘, CO2 Emissions, GDP(ppp-$), Climate Debt and the shiny branding bought with fossil fuel revenue.
2014-updates of GDP(ppp-$) … rising along with the temperature
2015
The national Climate Debt in ClimatePositions increases with growing GDP(ppp-$)¹. 2014-updates of GDP from ‘World Bank’ are now available in ‘Calculation (Excel)’. The world’s average per capita GDP(ppp-$) grew from $14,417 in 2013 to $14,939 in 2014. The diagram below shows the development in GDP(ppp-$) in 2000-2014 of the world average and five of the world’s largest per capita fossil fuel CO2 Emitters (in 2012): Qatar (50.8 tons of CO2), United Arab Emirates (44.0 tons), Singapore (38.8 tons), Bahrain (25.8 tons) and Saudi Arabia (22.0 tons).
Analyses of the global CO2 target and GDP(ppp-$)
2015
The calculation of Climate Debt in ClimatePositions is based on a balance between many ‘indicators’ and a common global per capita CO2 target. To illustrate the nature of this balance twelve countries are analyzed in this article in terms of the indicator of GDP(ppp-$) and the global CO2 target. The 12-Countries Group represents 38% of the global population, 65% of the global CO2 Emissions from fossil fuels and around 70% of the global Climate Debt.
Climate change performance of Jamaica, Cuba, Haiti, the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas
2015
Jamaica’s updated Climate Debt per capita is $181 and the one of the Dominican Republic is $67. Cuba and Haiti are both Contribution Free (no Climate Debt). See the ‘ranking’ of 147 countries by November 2014. The Bahamas are not included due to lack of data on Ecological Footprint – however, if this indicator it is set at world’s average, then the per capita Climate Debt of the Bahamas would be $2,982 (ranked 17). The following examines CO2 Emissions from fossil fuels, GDP(ppp-$), Environmental Performance and Forest Cover.
Climate change performance of Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, Belarus and Ukraine
2015
1.5% of the global population lives in Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, Belarus or Ukraine and together they emitted 2.3% of the global CO2 from fossil fuels in 2012 – the joint share of the global Climate Debt was 0.7%.
Slovakia’s accumulated Climate Debt per capita is now $640 (in 2014 the ranking was 43rd among 147 countries), Poland’s is $519 (ranked 47th), Hungary’s is $406 (ranked 54th), Belarus’ is $274 (ranked 59th) and Ukraine’s is $168 (ranked 63rd). See the ‘ranking’. The following examines the Climate Debt trends and the indicators of CO2 Emissions from fossil fuels, GDP(ppp-$) and Climate Debt as a percentage of GDP.
Sweden beats Finland in climate change performance
2015
Finland’s updated Climate Debt is $2,624 per capita and Sweden’s is $1,003. The ‘2014-rankings’ were 18th and 37th among 147 countries. The following examines the indicators of CO2 Emissions from fossil fuels, Nuclear Power, GDP(ppp-$), Climate Debt as a percentage of GDP(ppp-$) and Forest Cover.
Climate change performance of Israel, Lebanon and Jordan (refugees from the Syrian Civile War)
2015
The ‘Syrian Civil War’ and other violent conflicts in the region are causing huge numbers of refugees. According to ‘The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR)’ around 1.2 million refugees lived in Lebanon by December 2014, which was 28% of the usual population. In Jordan, the percentage of refugees was 10% and in Israel 0.5%. For comparison, the world average is about 0.8% (60 million refugees globally). Under these tragic circumstances carbon dioxide emissions and Climate Debt is of cause inconsiderate to discuss, but on the other hand, manmade climate destruction also causes mass refugees, mutilation and death … with increasing force in the coming decades. Experts foresee about 200 million climate refugees by 2050, or about 2% of the projected global population of 10 billion. Or roughly speaking: Two-thirds more refugees, due to climate change alone, in a world with one-third more people – in 35 years.
Climate Destruction League: Bahrain vs. Oman
2015
The small authoritarian Islamic oil regimes of Bahrain and Oman are ranked 6th and 8th among 147 countries on the worst performing list (see the ‘ranking’). 0.06% of the global population lives in Bahrain or Oman and together they emitted 0.30% of the global CO2 from fossil fuels in 2012 – their joint share of the global Climate Debt is around 0.66%. Bahrain’s per capita Climate Debt is now $8,668 and Oman’s is $8,077. Renewable energy and global climate change financing are largely non-existent in both countries. Welcome to Climate Destruction League.
Climate change performance of Slovenia, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina
2015
Slovenia, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina are ranked 26th, 48th and 51st among 147 countries on the Climate Debt List in ClimatePositions (see the ‘ranking’). Their updated Climate Debts are respectively $1,660, $515 and $432 per capita. The following examines the GDP(ppp-$), CO2 Emissions from fossil fuels, Forest Cover, Nuclear Power and Relative Climate Debt over time.
Climate change performance of Austria, Czech Republic and Switzerland
2015
0.4% of the global population lives in Austria, Czech Republic or Switzerland and together they emitted 0.6% of the global CO2 from fossil fuels in 2012 – the joint share of the global Climate Debt is 0.7%. Austria’s updated Climate Debt per capita is $2,400 (ranked 19th), Czech Republic’s is $1,137 (ranked 34th) and Switzerland’s is $969 (ranked 38th). See the ‘ranking’. The following examines the Climate Debt trends and the indicators of CO2 Emissions (carbon dioxide from fossil fuels), Nuclear Power, Environmental Performance, GDP(ppp-$) and Climate Debt as a percentage of GDP(ppp-$).
Climate change performance of Libya, Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco (refugees and the European Union)
2015
A devilish combination of poverty, armed conflict and violence in parts of Africa and Middle East, sends flows of refugees in boats across the Mediterranean Sea to Europe via Spain, Italy, Malta and Greece. In 2014 around 150,000 survived the dangerous trip to Italy alone. However, the European Union (EU) offers (as it seems) only a total of 5,000 resettlement places across Europe and the vast majority of all refugees will be sent back as irregular migrants. Read this ‘article’ from The Guardian.
Global CO2 Emissions 1990-2013 (three country groups by income)
2015
The first diagram shows the global CO2 Emissions from fossil fuels and cement production between 1990 and 2013 (the red dotted line). The trend is of cause outrageous and irresponsible towards future generations.
The other three lines in the diagram show the CO2 Emission trends of three country groups among 147 countries with full data in ClimatePositions, representing 97% of the global population. The three groups are divided by national income per capita in 2012:
Climate change performance of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan
2015
0.7% of the global population lives in Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan or Tajikistan, and together they emitted 0.6% of the global CO2 from fossil fuels in 2012. Turkmenistan’s updated Climate Debt per capita is $1,394 and Uzbekistan’s is $84. Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan are both Contribution Free (no Climate Debt). See the ‘ranking’ of 147 countries by November 2014. The following examines the CO2 Emissions (carbon dioxide from fossil fuels), GDP(ppp-$) and Climate Debt as a percentage of GDP.
Climate change performance of Panama, Honduras, Costa Rica and Nicaragua
2015
0.32% of the global population lives in Panama, Honduras, Costa Rica or Nicaragua, and together they emitted 0.12% of the global CO2 from fossil fuels in 2012. Panama’s updated Climate Debt per capita is $325 and the Honduran is $18. Costa Rica and Nicaragua are both Contribution Free. See the ‘ranking’ by November 2014. The following examines the indicators of CO2 Emissions (carbon dioxide from fossil fuels), Forests and GDP(ppp-$).
Climate change performance of Ecuador, Bolivia, Colombia and Peru
2015
1.4% of the global population lives in Ecuador, Bolivia, Colombia or Peru, and together they emitted 0.6% of the global CO2 from fossil fuels in 2012. Ecuador’s updated Climate Debt per capita is $84 and Bolivia’s is $18. Colombia and Peru are both Contribution Free. See the ‘ranking’ by November 2014. The following examines the indicators of CO2 Emissions (carbon dioxide from fossil fuels), Forests and GDP(ppp-$).
How green are the fossil fuel producers? (Correlation between fossil fuel production, CO2 Emissions, GDP and Climate Debt)
2015
Greenhouse gas emissions from burning of fossil fuels (oil, natural gas and coal), is the main cause of manmade climate change. Comparable energy potentials of oil, natural gas and coal is defined as “tons oil equivalents”, meaning that the energy released from a given quantity of natural gas or coal is equivalent to one ton of oil. This way the total production of fossil fuels can be expressed in a single figure (not to be confused with market value, global warming potential or general usefulness) The world’s production in million tons oil equivalent, was in 2013: oil (4,130), natural gas (3,041 and coal (3,881).
The table below ranks the twenty countries with the largest per capita fossil fuel production (oil equivalents). Total production data of 68 countries is from ‘BPs Statistical Review of World Energy 2014’ (pdf, 48 pages).
Mongolia and other coal producing countries (the thirteen most coal-dependent countries)
2015
Mongolia is the world’s second largest coal producer per capita (Btu, 2011) and coal is the world’s no. 1 carbon dioxide emitter. However, the flawed democracy (surrounded by the giant authoritarian regimes of China and Russia) is Contribution Free (no Climate Debt) in ClimatePositions – how is this possible?
The table below ranks the thirteen largest per capita coal producers (Btu, 2011), with the world average set at 1.0. The Mongolian coal production is almost ten times larger than the world average. For comparison, the table shows per capita values of CO2 Emissions (from fossil fuels), GDP(ppp-$) and Climate Debt. More comments below the table.
The ten wealthiest countries without any Climate Debt
2015
Among the 147 countries with full data in ClimatePositions 65 are Contribution Free (no Climate Debt). See the ‘ranking’. The table in this article ranks (from 1 to 10) the ten wealthiest Contribution Free countries by the following eight indicators:
- Per capita GDP(ppp-$) (1 = wealthiest)
- Income Equality (1 = most equal)
- Per capita CO2 Emissions from fossil fuels (1 = lowest emissions)
- Democracy Index (1 = most democracy)
- Environmental Performance (1 = best performance)
- Life Expectancy by birth (1 = longest lives)
- Per capita Ecological Footprint without carbon (1 = smallest footprint)
- Primary Forests as a percentage of the total land area (1 = largest percentage)
Read the comments below the table.