Who Is Responsible For Climate Change? – Who Needs To Fix It?

Summary

The video script discusses the alarming rise in global CO₂ emissions, highlighting China as the largest current emitter, followed by the USA and the EU. It emphasizes the historical responsibility of developed nations and the disproportionate impact of climate change on developing countries. The script calls for collective action, stressing the need for rich nations to lead with low-carbon technology and for all countries to contribute equitably to mitigate the crisis.

Takeaways

• 🌍 Since the Industrial Revolution, humans have released over 1.5 trillion tons of CO₂ into the atmosphere, with 37 billion tons added in 2019 alone.
• 📈 Emissions have risen significantly, with 2019 levels being 50% higher than in 2000 and nearly three times as much as 50 years prior.
• 🌱 Greenhouse gas emissions, including methane and nitrous oxide, contribute to the total of 51 billion tons of CO₂ equivalents emitted annually.
• 🔥 The consequences of climate change are becoming more severe, with record-breaking heat waves, melting glaciers, and reduced Arctic ice.
• ☀️ Over the last 22 years, 20 have been the hottest on record, emphasizing the urgency of addressing climate change.
• 🌳 Reducing global emissions to zero is essential to mitigate rapid climate change, but there is a lack of consensus on responsibility and burden-sharing.
• 🏭 Developed countries highlight their emission reduction efforts and point to large developing countries like China as major current emitters.
• 🌱 Developing countries argue that their emissions are for survival, unlike the lifestyle emissions of developed nations.
• 📊 In 2017, Asia, North America, and Europe were the largest CO₂ emitters, contributing over 85% of global emissions.
• 🏆 China is the largest current emitter, responsible for 27% of global emissions, followed by the USA and the European Union.
• 🏛 Historically, the US and EU have the highest emissions, with China in third place, indicating a shift in the source of emissions over time.
• 👥 When considering emissions per capita, oil and gas-producing countries like Qatar have the highest rates, but Australia and the US also have high per capita emissions.
• 💡 Wealth is closely tied to CO₂ emissions, with the richest half of countries accounting for 86% of global emissions.
• 🌐 The impact of climate change is disproportionately felt by developing countries, which contribute least to emissions but face the harshest consequences.
• 🛠 Rich countries have the resources and technology to develop and spread low-carbon solutions, which are essential for global emission reduction.
• 🌟 The video is part of a series supported by Breakthrough Energy, aiming to promote clean energy investment and innovation for a zero-carbon future.

Q & A

How much carbon dioxide has been released into the atmosphere since the Industrial Revolution?

Since the Industrial Revolution, humans have released over 1.5 trillion tons of carbon dioxide into the Earth's atmosphere.

What was the approximate amount of CO₂ emitted in the year 2019?

In the year 2019, around 37 billion tons of CO₂ were emitted.

How does the CO₂ emission from 2019 compare to the year 2000 and 50 years prior?

The CO₂ emissions in 2019 were 50 percent more than in the year 2000 and almost three times as much as 50 years prior.

What is the total emission of carbon dioxide equivalents when considering all greenhouse gases?

When considering all greenhouse gases, we are emitting 51 billion tons of carbon dioxide equivalents each year.

What is the primary goal in addressing climate change according to the script?

The primary goal in addressing climate change is to decrease our collective emissions quickly and get them down to zero.

Which countries are the largest contributors to CO₂ emissions today?

China, the USA, and the European Union are the largest contributors to CO₂ emissions today, accounting for more than half of the world's CO₂ emissions.

How does historical CO₂ emissions compare when looking at the US, EU, and China?

The US is responsible for 25% of the world's historical emissions, the EU for 22%, and China for just under 13%.

What is the average annual CO₂ emissions per person globally?

The average human is responsible for around five tons of CO₂ each year.

Which country had the highest CO₂ emissions per person in 2017?

Qatar had the highest CO₂ emissions per person in 2017, at 49 tons per person.

What is the relationship between wealth and carbon footprint?

Wealth is one of the strongest indicators of carbon footprint, as access to electricity, heating, transportation, and technology increases with wealth, leading to higher emissions.

How does the script suggest that rich countries can contribute to reducing global emissions?

The script suggests that rich countries can contribute by developing and spreading low-cost, low-carbon solutions around the world, leveraging their resources, educated workforces, and technology.

What is the Breakthrough Energy coalition and its goal?

Breakthrough Energy is a coalition founded by Bill Gates that aims to expand clean energy investment and support innovations leading to net zero carbon emissions.

Outlines

00:00

🌍 Global CO₂ Emissions and Climate Change

This paragraph discusses the historical and current state of global CO₂ emissions, emphasizing the impact of the Industrial Revolution and the rapid increase in greenhouse gases. It highlights the record-breaking temperatures and extreme climate events as evidence of climate change. The paragraph also touches on the debate over responsibility for emissions between developed and developing nations, with a focus on the top emitters like China, the USA, and the European Union. The importance of reducing emissions to zero to mitigate climate change is underscored, along with the challenge of international cooperation and the differing perspectives on who should bear the burden of emission reduction.

05:04

🌡️ Per Capita Emissions and Wealth's Role in Climate Impact

The second paragraph delves into the per capita CO₂ emissions, revealing a stark contrast between the world's major oil and gas producers and the global average. It points out that high-income countries, including Australia, the USA, and Germany, have significantly higher carbon footprints per person compared to the global average. The paragraph also discusses the correlation between wealth and emissions, noting that as countries develop and access to modern amenities increases, so does their carbon footprint. The narrative challenges the notion that climate change is solely a developing world issue, emphasizing the historical and ongoing contributions of wealthy nations to global emissions and the disproportionate impact of climate change on developing countries.

10:06

🛠️ Solutions and the Role of Rich Countries in Climate Action

The final paragraph shifts the focus to potential solutions and the role of rich countries in addressing climate change. It acknowledges the progress made in renewable energy costs and the potential for low-carbon technology to become more accessible and affordable. The paragraph argues that the historical emitters, being wealthy and technologically advanced, are in a unique position to develop and disseminate these solutions globally. It also stresses the importance of China's role as the current largest emitter and the need for all countries to contribute to the transition to a zero-carbon world. The paragraph concludes with a call to action, emphasizing collective responsibility and the urgency of immediate steps to combat climate change, supported by the Breakthrough Energy coalition and Our World in Data.

Keywords

💡Carbon Dioxide (CO₂)

Carbon dioxide, or CO₂, is a greenhouse gas that is released into the atmosphere through various human activities, primarily the burning of fossil fuels. It is a major contributor to climate change. In the video, it is mentioned that humans have released over 1.5 trillion tons of CO₂ since the Industrial Revolution, and in 2019, the emissions were around 37 billion tons, which is 50 percent more than in the year 2000.

💡Greenhouse Gases

Greenhouse gases are gases in the Earth's atmosphere that trap heat and contribute to the greenhouse effect, leading to global warming. Besides CO₂, other greenhouse gases like methane and nitrous oxide are also mentioned in the script as significant contributors to climate change.

💡Carbon Dioxide Equivalents

Carbon dioxide equivalents is a measure used to compare the emissions of various greenhouse gases on a common basis. It converts the different greenhouse gases into an equivalent amount of CO₂, considering their global warming potential. The script states that we emit 51 billion tons of carbon dioxide equivalents each year.

💡Emissions

Emissions refer to the release of pollutants or greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. The video emphasizes the need to reduce emissions to zero to mitigate rapid climate change. The script discusses the increasing trend of global greenhouse gas emissions and the disparities between developed and developing countries in terms of their contributions.

💡Industrial Revolution

The Industrial Revolution marks a period of rapid industrialization that began in Britain in the late 18th century and spread to other parts of the world. It is associated with a significant increase in the use of fossil fuels and, consequently, in CO₂ emissions. The script mentions that since the Industrial Revolution, humans have released a vast amount of CO₂.

💡Developed Countries

Developed countries are nations with a high level of economic development and a high standard of living. In the context of the video, they are historically responsible for a large portion of CO₂ emissions and are often in a position to lead in developing and implementing low-carbon solutions.

💡Developing Countries

Developing countries are nations with a lower level of economic development compared to developed countries. The script discusses the argument that while developed countries have emitted CO₂ as part of a lifestyle, developing countries emit CO₂ for survival and development, highlighting the disparity in historical responsibility and current needs.

💡Historical Emissions

Historical emissions refer to the cumulative amount of greenhouse gases emitted by a country or region over time. The video script points out that when considering historical emissions, the US and the EU have contributed more than China, challenging the narrative that climate change is solely the responsibility of developing countries.

💡Per Capita Emissions

Per capita emissions are the amount of greenhouse gases emitted by each person in a country. The script uses this measure to illustrate the disparity in individual contributions to climate change, with countries like Qatar, Australia, and the US having significantly higher per capita emissions than the global average.

💡Wealth and Carbon Footprint

Wealth is closely related to a country's or an individual's carbon footprint, as higher standards of living often involve greater use of energy and resources, leading to more emissions. The script explains that historically, CO₂ emissions have been closely tied to a high standard of living and that the richest half of countries are responsible for the majority of global emissions.

💡Clean Energy Investment

Clean energy investment refers to the financial resources allocated to the development and deployment of renewable energy sources and technologies that produce little or no greenhouse gas emissions. The video mentions Breakthrough Energy, a coalition founded by Bill Gates, which aims to expand clean energy investment and support innovations for a zero-carbon world.

Highlights

Since the Industrial Revolution, humans have released over 1.5 trillion tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, with 37 billion tons added in 2019 alone.

Greenhouse gas emissions, including CO₂, methane, and nitrous oxide, have risen to 51 billion tons of carbon dioxide equivalents annually.

The urgency of reducing emissions to zero is underscored by the increasing frequency of climate-related records, such as heatwaves and melting glaciers.

Disagreements among nations persist on who should bear the responsibility for climate change mitigation efforts.

China, the USA, and the European Union account for over half of the world's CO₂ emissions, emphasizing the need for their action.

Historical emissions show the US and EU leading, with China in third place, challenging the narrative of climate change being solely a developing world issue.

When considering per capita emissions, countries like Qatar, Australia, and the US have some of the highest carbon footprints.

Population size significantly influences total emissions, but individual carbon footprints vary widely among countries.

Wealth and standard of living are strong indicators of carbon footprint, with the richest half of countries emitting 86% of global emissions.

The developing world, contributing least to climate change, faces the harshest consequences, including food insecurity and natural disasters.

Richest countries have the resources and technology to develop and disseminate low-carbon solutions globally.

The cost of renewable energy is decreasing, indicating a shift towards more sustainable energy sources.

China's role as the current largest CO₂ emitter highlights its responsibility in transitioning to a zero-carbon future.

Climate change requires a global effort, with each country doing its best to mitigate its impact.

The video is part of a series supported by Breakthrough Energy, a coalition founded by Bill Gates, aiming to achieve net-zero carbon emissions.

Our World in Data provided valuable data and research support for the video.

Transcripts

Since the Industrial Revolution, humans have released

over 1.5 trillion tons of carbon dioxide or CO₂, into the Earth's atmosphere.

In the year 2019, we were still pumping out around 37 billion more.

That's 50 percent more than the year 2000 and almost three times as much as 50 years ago.

And it's not just CO₂,

we're also pumping out growing volumes of other greenhouse gases such as methane and nitrous oxide.

Combining all of our greenhouse gases, we're emitting 51 billion tons of carbon dioxide equivalents each year.

And emissions keep rising.

But they need to get down to zero.

In recent years, the consequences have become more serious and visible.

Almost every year breaks some horrible record:

We've had more heat waves, the most glaciers melting, and the lowest amount of ice ever recorded at the North Pole.

Of the last 22 years, 20 have been the hottest on record.

The only way to limit this rapid climate change is to decrease our collective emissions quickly.

But although all countries agree on this goal in principle,

they do not agree who is responsible or who should bear the heaviest load.

The developed countries point at their own efforts to reduce emissions

and the fact that the large developing countries on the rise, especially China,

are currently releasing much more CO₂.

On the other hand, developing countries argue that emissions by the West are lifestyle emissions,

while for developing countries, they are survival emissions.

Others call rich countries hypocrites that got rich by polluting without restraint

and now expect others not to industrialize and stay poor.

So who is responsible for climate change and CO₂ emissions?

And regardless of the past, who needs to do the most today?

In this video, we'll talk exclusively about nation-states.

We'll look at the fossil fuel industry in another video.

Question 1 of 3: Which countries emit the most carbon dioxide today?

In 2017, humans emitted about 36 billion tons of CO₂.

More than 50% came from Asia. North America and Europe followed with 18% and 17%.

While Africa, South America, and Oceania together only contributed eight percent.

China is by far the world's largest emitter with 10 billion tons of CO₂ every year,

or 27% of global emissions.

It's followed by the USA with 15% and the European Union with around 10%.

Together, this is more than half of the world's CO₂ emissions.

So it's clear that without the willingness and action of these three industrial blocs,

humanity will not be able to become carbon neutral and prevent severe climate change.

Next on our list is India at seven percent, Russia at five percent, Japan at three percent,

and Iran, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, and Canada all just short of two percent.

Together with the first three, the top 10 are responsible for 75% of global emissions.

But if we only look at the current situation, we're not getting the full picture.

Question 2 of 3: Which countries have emitted the most in total?

If we look at emissions throughout history until today, the outlook changes drastically.

The US and the EU both knock China off the top spot.

The US is responsible for 25% of the world's historical emissions emitting 400 billion tons,

mostly in the 20ᵗʰ century.

In second place is the EU at 22%.

China comes in third at just under 13 percent, around half of the USA's contribution.

India's contribution shrinks to 3 percent along with the whole of Africa and South America.

The UK is responsible for one percent of annual global emissions

but takes five percent of the historical responsibility.

Germany, producing two percent of emissions per year today, has contributed almost six percent,

as much as the whole of Africa and South America combined.

So the narrative that rapid climate change is really the responsibility of the developing world

is hard to defend if facts matter to you.

But this is still not the whole story, because focusing on countries mixes two things:

population numbers and total emissions.

If a country has more people in general, its emissions are of course higher.

Things look very different if we look at individuals like you, dear viewer.

Question 3 of 3: Which countries emit the most carbon dioxide per person?

The average human is responsible for around five tons of CO₂ each year, but averages can be misleading.

The countries with the largest CO₂ emissions per person are some of the world's major oil and gas producers.

In 2017, Qatar had the highest emissions at a hefty 49 tons per person,

followed by Trinidad and Tobago, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Brunei, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia.

But those are outliers.

Australians have one of the highest carbon footprints per person: 17 tons a year.

That's more than triple the global average

and slightly more than the average US American and Canadian at 16 tons.

The Germans do a little better at close to 10 tons, but this is still twice the global average.

China may be the world's largest emitter,

but it's also the world's most populous country with over 1.4 billion people,

18.5% of the world population.

Per person, it's above average at seven tons.

Historically, CO₂ emissions have been closely tied to a high standard of living.

Wealth is one of the strongest indicators of our carbon footprint, because as we move from poor to rich,

we gain access to electricity, heating, air conditioning, lighting, modern cooking,

cars or planes, smartphones, computers, and interact with people across the world online.

The enormous rise of China's CO₂ emissions is coupled with the greatest reduction of poverty in history.

If we order CO₂ emissions by income,

we see that the richest half of countries are responsible for 86% of global emissions

and the bottom half for only 14%.

The average German emits more than five times as much as the average Indian.

In just 2.3 days, the average American emits as much as the average Nigerian in a year.

And not only that, the harsh reality is that

it's the countries that contribute least to the problem that stand to lose the most from rapid climate change.

The developing world will be hit the hardest.

The consequences could be food insecurity, conflicts over resources,

harsher and more frequent natural disasters, and large climate refugee movements.

Question 4... of 3: So who should take responsibility?

Many of today's richest countries are in a convenient position.

They have become rich over centuries of fossil fuel burning and industrial production.

They have a large historical footprint, and their wealth means they still emit a lot per person.

But their country's annual emissions are now dwarfed by other countries,

because the giant that is China is finally catching up, and other giants like India are on their way.

Many Germans, for example, wonder how if Germany only accounts for two percent of yearly emissions,

it can have a meaningful impact on reducing emissions.

The answer is simple.

For one, the richest countries have the resources, highly educated workforces, and technology

to develop low-cost, low-carbon solutions and spread them around the world.

If we don't want poorer countries to become as fossil fuel-dependent as we are,

we need low-carbon technology to be cheap and available.

And we're getting there.

The cost of renewables is falling quickly and a variety of solutions are on the horizon for many different sectors.

But it needs to happen much faster.

If the rich countries of the West decide to seriously tackle rapid climate change,

the rest of the world would follow, because it has no choice.

Just like when the European Union enforced energy efficiency standards for technology,

the rest of the world adopted them too, because they wanted to be able to continue trading with the block.

Still, this doesn't absolve others of their responsibility.

China is the largest CO₂ emitter today, and it's China's responsibility to grow in a way

that will make it possible to transition to a zero-carbon world in time.

Others acting irresponsibly yesterday is a horrible excuse for repeating the same mistakes today.

Climate change is a global problem, and no country alone can fix it.

Working out who's responsible is not as simple as it seems, and in a way, it's a daft question,

but one that has plagued international politics for decades.

In the end, it's pretty simple.

Everybody needs to do the best they can, and right now we are all not doing that.

But we can begin today.

This video is part of a series about climate change supported by Breakthrough Energy,

a coalition founded by Bill Gates that's working to expand clean energy investment

and support the innovations that will lead the world to net zero carbon emissions.

Also, a special thanks to the team at Our World in Data for helping us out with data and research.

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