Global Warming: Can First World Countries Do Their Share? No

Not new, global warming, as a topic for conversation. Oh no. But I fear that it may be unfair for First World countries to point the finger at developing countries around the world and tell them to reduce emissions. They have a valid point. Let us look at CO2 emissions per capita instead.

Talk about a huge inequality. Even in the top 10 countries for CO2 emissions per capita, the bottom 2, Poland and the UK, use less than half of the top 4 polluters.

It is hardly fair for Canada, Australia and the US to tell countries such as China and India that their CO2 emissions and pollution is out of control. The average US person pollutes at 2.24 times that of a Chinese citizen. The average Canadian person pollutes at 2.12 times that of a Chinese citizen. The US, Australia and Canada need to get their acts together first, before they go off lecturing other countries and setting CO2 emissions targets. Look in the mirror, people, because the top polluters are yourselves, and I’m Canadian.

Living here in Canada, I can safely say that the general population is certainly not getting the message. Gas prices are now low, so large SUVs are selling far better than small compact cars. Does this look like the general population want to reduce their carbon footprint? Hell no. If Canada and the US are serious about cutting their emissions by 55% (US) or 53% (Canada) we are going to have to have a radical change of thinking. I just don’t think that this is possible. Sure Canada and the US want to reduce carbon emissions, but we’re not going to come even close to a 55% reduction. No government will be able to stand such a reduction.

The people of Canada will not do it and are not thinking of such a large reduction. While we like to talk about cuts to emissions as being important, and it is important, the actions and attitudes are not there. I know that governments are not willing to do the sufficient cuts. Our governments are not even onside for funding public transit and discouraging the use of private car travel, which accounts for the vast cases of commuting. People will not give up their cars here in Toronto, and politicians are thus unwilling to force them to do so. We tried and failed to properly fund Toronto public transit, the result being repeated fare increases for the last decade.

Our Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, is off to Paris on a quest for global warming, but the problem lies within our own Canada. We need to change attitudes and policies to get people onside for that 53% cut in CO2 emissions. It won’t be easy, and I’m unsure it is even possible. Mr Trudeau has said that he wanted to meet the Indian Prime Minister, Mr. Modi, to talk about CO2 emissions reduction targets, as India is the 4th largest emitter of CO2. Note that India pollutes 1.7t per capita, or 11% of the average Canadian. Ten Indians pollute the equivalent to 1 Canadian! That is shameful any way you look at it. Before we ask countries like India for deep cuts, let us Canadians get our house in order. Sure, India has a lot of people, but they happen to be pretty low polluters.

If the US and Canada cannot get their CO2 emissions per capita in order, then let more efficient countries take the lead, because certainly the most polluting countries should not be leading this charge against global warming. That would be hypocritical, and I welcome less polluting countries to call Canada and the US out on global warming. Canada is a terrible example of what to do and a great example of what not to do.

If we leave CO2 emissions to the US and Canada, the world is certainly doomed. If our countries can pollute at 15.7t/person, they why not China, India and Indonesia? Of course this argument is false, as this would doom the world. We all need to reduce, but Canada and the US need much drastic reductions that China and India.

How about the top 6 CO2 polluters let the more efficient and less polluting countries take the lead, and the top 6 CO2 polluters concentrate their efforts on themselves.