Bush administration praises rise in global warming emissions
Bush administration praises record level of global warming emissions
mongabay.com
April 17, 2007
The head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said the 0.8 percent growth in greenhouse gas emissions in 2005 showed the Bush Administration was serious about addressing climate change.
“The Bush Administration’s unparalleled financial, international and domestic commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions is delivering real results,” said EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson. “As America’s economy continues to grow, our aggressive yet practical strategy is putting us on track to reach President Bush’s goal to reduce our nation’s greenhouse gas intensity 18 percent by 2012.”
Environmentalists thought otherwise.
 Historical Growth Rates for U.S. Carbon Intensity. Data from the EIA |
“Things have come to a pretty sad state of affairs when the EPA tries to spin increased greenhouse gas emissions as a victory,” Frank O’Donnell, president of Clean Air Watch, an environmental advocacy group, told the Associated Press.
“The climate system doesn’t respond to emission intensity. It’s a red herring,” the A.P. quoted Ben Dunham, an attorney for U.S. PIRG, an environmental advocacy group, as saying.
Total emissions of the six main greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, and sulfur hexafluoride) in 2005 were equivalent to 7,260 million metric tons of carbon dioxide, up from 7,204 million metric tons in 2004 and 6,242 million metric tons in 1990. The EPA shows indicates that overall emissions have grown by 16 percent from 1990 to 2005, while the U.S. economy has grown by 55 percent over the same period.
The United States is the world’s largest emitter of carbon dioixde, accounting for about 24 percent of global anthropogenic emissions, but China is fast gaining–some project that it will pass the U.S. in emissions as early as this year. From an economic standpoint, the U.S. accounts for 28 percent of world GDP, indicating that it is slightly more carbon efficient that the global average.
