A study highlighting energy inequality reveals that each Briton generates 200 times the climate emissions than a Congolese person. Whereas the US is generating 585 times in comparison. Here’s all about the new study.
Energy inequality: Climate emissions report
A new study by the Center for Global Development (CGD) reveals that an average British person generated more carbon dioxide in the first two days of this year than an average person from Congo would in the entire year. The study, highlighting the vast energy inequality and climate emissions from rich and poor countries, is shocking. Especially considering that the US produces 585 times more climate emissions than the Democratic Republic of Congo.
According to the study, carbon emissions in the UK will overtake that of 30 other low and mid-income nations. Sadly, this is by the end of January. Euan Ritchie, a policy analyst for CGD Europe was inspired by the western nation’s climate hypocrisy. Nations such as the US and UK have pledged to stop funding projects using fossil fuels in developing nations. But, they will be able to develop fossil fuels in their land. However, according to Ritchie, the extinction of financing varies. “A cruel irony would be if the countries that are least responsible for this problem cannot access energy infrastructure says,” stated Ritchie.
More about the study and its effect
According to research, there are 24 fossil fuel projects pending in the US and, they have the potential of generating up to 1.6 gigatons of greenhouse gases. Additionally, several new gas and oil fields are being licensed in the North Sea. The CGD used the World Bank data to calculate the point where a US citizen’s energy usage is exceeding that of a person in a low and middle-income nation.
“Blanket bans on fossil fuel projects in developing nations will exacerbate poverty while doing little to curb carbon emissions worldwide,” argued Vijaya Ramachandran. Ramachandran is an energy expert leading the Breakthrough Institute’s energy and development program. “The rich countries easily impose fossil fuel funding bans on poor countries while increasing their consumption of fossil fuels at the same time,” she added. Currently, the hypocrisy on climate emissions and its generations are detrimental for developing nations. After all, they need a wider range of energy for sustaining their development, unlike high-income nations.
