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    Who Is to Blame for Climate Change?

Sophia Xu
Updated: August. 26, 2023

Climate change is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon that involves changes in the Earth’s atmosphere, oceans, land, ice, and biosphere over time. It is influenced by natural factors such as solar radiation, volcanic eruptions, orbital variations, and plate tectonics, as well as human activities such as burning fossil fuels, deforestation, agriculture, and industrialization 12.

The main cause of the current global warming trend is the increase in greenhouse gas emissions from human activities, especially carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and fluorinated gases. These gases trap heat in the atmosphere and enhance the natural greenhouse effect, which keeps the Earth warm enough to sustain life. Since the Industrial Revolution, the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere has risen by more than 40%, from about 280 parts per million (ppm) in 1750 to about 412 ppm in 2020. The concentration of CH4 has more than doubled, from about 715 parts per billion (ppb) in 1750 to about 1869 ppb in 2020. The concentration of N2O has increased by about 23%, from about 270 ppb in 1750 to about 332 ppb in 2020 3.

The effects of climate change are already evident in many aspects of the Earth system, such as rising global average temperature, melting ice sheets and glaciers, rising sea level, changing precipitation patterns, increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, ocean acidification, biodiversity loss, and ecosystem degradation. These effects pose serious risks and challenges for human health, food security, water availability, economic development, social stability, and environmental sustainability 123.

Who is to blame for climate change? This is a difficult and controversial question that does not have a simple or definitive answer. Different countries, regions, sectors, and groups have different levels of responsibility and contribution to the problem, as well as different capacities and opportunities to address it. Some factors that can be considered when assigning blame include:

• Historical emissions: The cumulative amount of greenhouse gases emitted by a country or region since the start of the Industrial Revolution. This reflects the historical responsibility for causing climate change. According to the World Resources Institute (WRI), the top 10 emitters of CO2 from fossil fuel combustion and cement production from 1850 to 2018 were: China (13.7%), United States (25%), European Union (22%), India (3.3%), Russia (6.9%), Japan (4%), Brazil (1.4%), Indonesia (1%), Canada (1.6%), and Mexico (1.5%) .
• Current emissions: The amount of greenhouse gases emitted by a country or region in a given year or period. This reflects the current contribution to climate change. According to the Global Carbon Project (GCP), the top 10 emitters of CO2 from fossil fuel combustion and cement production in 2019 were: China (28%), United States (15%), India (7%), Russia (5%), Japan (3%), Germany (2%), Iran (2%), Saudi Arabia (2%), South Korea (2%), and Canada (2%) .
• Per capita emissions: The amount of greenhouse gases emitted by a country or region divided by its population size. This reflects the average emission intensity or footprint of an individual in a country or region. According to the World Bank, the top 10 countries or regions with the highest per capita CO2 emissions from fossil fuel combustion and cement production in 2018 were: Qatar (37.29 tonnes), Trinidad and Tobago (30.06 tonnes), Kuwait (25.11 tonnes), United Arab Emirates (23.37 tonnes), Bahrain (22.65 tonnes), Brunei Darussalam (21.57 tonnes), Saudi Arabia (18.85 tonnes), Australia (16.77 tonnes), United States (16.56 tonnes), and Canada (16.34 tonnes) .
• Emission intensity: The amount of greenhouse gases emitted by a country or region divided by its gross domestic product (GDP). This reflects the emission efficiency or performance of an economy in a country or region. According to the World Bank, the top 10 countries or regions with the highest emission intensity of CO2 from fossil fuel combustion and cement production in 2018 were: Mongolia (1.63 kg per US dollar), Libya (1.42 kg per US dollar), Iraq (1 kg per US dollar), Trinidad and Tobago (0.97 kg per US dollar), Uzbekistan

So who do you think is to blame? Let me know in the comments below.