China to Lead Global Emissions by 2009

The International Energy Agency's World Energy Outlook hits the streets today, and the New York Times is fronting disturbing news about China's carbon emissions:

China will surpass the United States in 2009, nearly a decade ahead of previous predictions, as the biggest emitter of the main gas linked to global warming, the International Energy Agency has concluded in a report to be released Tuesday.

ChinaÂ’s rise, fueled heavily by coal, is particularly troubling to climate scientists because as a developing country, China is exempt from the Kyoto ProtocolÂ’s requirements for reductions in emissions of global warming gases. Unregulated emissions from China, India and other developing countries are likely to account for most of the global increase in carbon dioxide emissions over the next quarter-century.

The agencyÂ’s prediction highlights the unexpected speed with which China is emerging as the biggest contributor to global warming. Still, China has resisted limits on its own emissions and those of other developing countries.

Up until now, Chinese officials have instead called repeatedly for even tighter limits on the industrialized countriesÂ’ emissions of global warming gases after the Kyoto ProtocolÂ’s limits expire at the end of 2012. China says rich countries bear responsibility for the increase in global carbon dioxide levels that has already taken place.

So what's the solution? More announcements like this one would help.

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