Axis of Climate Gases
by John Laumer, Philadelphia 
on 12. 2.06
What to call a comparison of the combined GHG emissions of Texas, California, and Pennsylvania with those of North Korea, Iran, and Iraq: The Axis of Gases? How about the Droppings of Iscarus? We don't have those numbers right at hand; but, we do have, via World Resources Institute, a map, originally featured in Science magazine (by subscription only), which shows how regions within the U.S. compare to other major international remitters. As depicted, various regional U.S. emission totals from 2001 were greater than those of Great Britain, Canada, Russia, India, Brazil & South Korea, respectively. WRI comments, "... if states were ranked individually, six states -- Texas, California, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois and Florida -- would rank among the top 30 emitters internationally”.
Notably, Pennsylvania, Illinois, and especially California are pretty far out of the denial zone on Climate Change, having enacted innovative programs to mitigate GHG emissions. Perhaps the Axis ought to be Texas, Ohio, and Florida?
The bigger question is, do state or national comparisons like this really do any good at all? Let us know what you think.
Thirsty for more? Check out these related articles:
- Focus Earth Episode: The Dawn of New Disease
- COP15: What It Means If We Fail to Prevent Climate Change
- COP15: What's at Stake in Under 5 Minutes
- Nick Clooney On Growing Up in Appalachia
- Don't Just Offset Your Carbon Emissions, Retire Them!
- Carbon Emissions Down in '09, But Don't Get Lazy Now!
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