Connect with us

Environment

Interactive map demonstrates who is responsible for climate change

Published

on

A new interactive map highlights how the countries that are set to suffer the most as a result of climate change have contributed the least to carbon emissions. It also demonstrates how growing populations could have a big impact.

Blue & Green Tomorrow is currently running a crowdfunder to ensure its survival. Please pledge.

The map, published by the Guardian, changes the size of each county depending on the category a user select. Through selecting different parameters, the map shows which regions have the biggest responsibility for climate change by showing their involvement in extraction, emissions, consumption, historical emissions and reserves of fossil fuels.

Additionally, it shows vulnerabilities, such as people at risk, sea level rise and poverty. Users can also change the map to show emission changes, CO2 per person, GDP per person and population growth to add extra information.

The map has been released as world leaders, businesses and civil organisations meet in New York to discuss new ways of dealing with rising emission and climate adaption at a UN summit.

Using the map highlights how historically western nations, such as the US and much of Europe, have contributed the most to climate change, releasing a large portion of the carbon emissions that remain in the atmosphere. However, the people most at risk from the impacts of climate change prominently live in Asia.

Many of the regions that have the fastest growing populations currently emit relatively little CO2 and have a low per person GDP, suggesting that these areas become more populated and work towards reducing poverty emissions could rise, threatening efforts to halt climate change.

Photo: yejunkim via Freeimages  

Further reading:

Report urges businesses to act on climate change

NASA probe to study world’s forests and carbon cycle

Carbon credits can boost economic development and conservation

Leading institutional investors call for ambitious climate deal

Big corporations already preparing for carbon pricing agreement, study reveals

Advertisement

Like our Facebook Page

Advertisement

Trending