by David Sassoon -
Aug 14th, 2008 
A new study called "The Contribution of Chinese Exports to Climate Change" just published in the journal Energy Policy (firewalled) delivers some sobering news.
The recent rapid growth of greenhouse gas emissions in China is largely the result of industrial production of cheap exports for foreign markets. At the same time, households in China were responsible for a decreasing share of the nation's soaring emissions.
In other words, all that shopping at Wal Mart has more to do with China's soaring carbon footprint than the lifestyle of the average Chinese person. Consumption in the developed world -- with the US accounting for the largest share -- is driving both the growth in China's GDP and its emissions at the same explosive rate.
Here are the numbers in the study:
Bookmark/Search this post with:
