US blames India, China for a growing share of emission

I / Washington February 12, 2010, 15:13 IST

Noting that greenhouse gas emissions impose global risks, the Obama Administration believes that developing countries such as China and India are responsible for a growing proportion of emissions because of their heavy reliance on carbon intensive fuels, such as coal.  

"Greenhouse gas emissions impose global risks. As a result, just as US efforts to reduce emissions benefit other countries, actions that other countries take to mitigate emissions benefit the United States," said the Obama Administration in its 'The Economic Report of the President', to the Congress.  

Given the global nature of the problem and the declining US share of greenhouse gas emissions, US action alone to reduce those emissions are insufficient to mitigate the most serious risks from climate change, it noted.  

"Developing countries such as China and India are responsible for a growing proportion of emissions because of their heavy reliance on carbon intensive fuels, such as coal," the report said.  

In 1992, China's carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel combustion were half those of the United States and represented 12 percent of global emissions.  

By 2008, China's carbon dioxide emissions represented 22 per cent of global emissions from fossil fuels, exceeding the US share of 19 per cent and the European share of 15  per cent, it said.