UN Says The US Is The Most Successful Major Country in Carbon Emissions Reduction

The UN released its global emissions and carbon report last month.  The U.S. is the most successful major country at mitigating its own pollution carbon dioxide (CO2).  So successful according to a Forbes posting written by Ellen Wald titled “The U.N. Says America Is Already Cutting So Much Carbon It Doesn’t Need the Paris Climate Accord”. 

“According to the report,

“The United States of America emits 13 per cent of global GHG emissions.” Comparatively, “China emits more than one-quarter of global GHG emissions.” The U.S. still contributes the most greenhouse gas emissions per capita in the world, but, over the last decade, the country’s GHG emissions have been in decline (0.4 per cent per year). “Greenhouse gas emissions per capita in the U.S. are dropping precipitously while those of China, India and Russia continue to rise. With the world’s most successful economy (over $21 trillion in 2019), it is not a surprise that the U.S. pollutes more per person, but the U.S. is making great strides in changing this.” 

The following chart is from the UN report showing total and per capita emissions:

President Trump withdrew from the Paris Agreement in 2017.

“In 2017, the White House said, that if it remained a part of that agreement, “compliance with the terms of the Paris Accord and the onerous energy restrictions it has placed on the United States could cost America as much as 2.7 million lost jobs by 2025 according to the National Economic Research Associates.” Instead, the U.S. continued decreasing its greenhouse gas emissions faster than any other major polluter, and it did so without the Paris agreement.”

Unfortunately, we know that the president elect, Joe Biden, wants to sign up again.  It may be too late to negate any signing even though the Paris Agreement appears to be a treaty which requires a 2/3 majority of the US Senate to approve it. The Senate is going to be controlled by the Democrats for the next two years.  Whether or not this is a treaty may not get resolved is a question.

The UN comment about the US not needing to join is frivolous. The Paris Agreement requires that the developed nations need to contribute $100billion every year to a fund for the under-developed nations to use to reduce CO2 emissions.  And you will not be surprised to know, that the biggest contributor to the fund is expected to be the US.  So far, I don’t believe the fund has  ever reached $100billion cumulatively, let alone annually.  The US has voluntarily contributed to the fund.  Why, I do not know.

So, the UN is desperate for the US to rejoin. 

cbdakota