U.S. Department of Energy - Energy Efficiency and Renewable
Energy China Now Leads in Total Carbon Dioxide Emissions, Says
Report June 27, 2007 Here's one area where the United States is
happy to come in second place: in carbon dioxide emissions.
According to a new analysis by the Netherlands Environmental
Assessment Agency, China surpassed the United States in total
carbon dioxide emissions in 2006. While China's emissions were
about 2% below the U.S. emissions in 2005, the U.S. emissions
decreased slightly in 2006, while China's emissions increased by
8.7%, making them 8% greater than the U.S. emissions. According
to the report, China produces about 44% of the world's cement,
and the high energy use of this industry is a key factor in the
country's high carbon dioxide emissions. See the agency's The
Dutch agency later tried to place these figures in perspective,
noting that on a per capita basis, the United States still
produces roughly four times as much carbon dioxide as China, at
about 20 tons per person