China Now Second-Largest Carbon Emitter in History, Still Well Behind US

China has passed the European Union (EU) in all-time carbon emissions. It's now second in the world. That’s according to Carbon Brief, an environmental group. Carbon emissions are a major driver of climate change .

Carbon Brief analyzed emissions since the 19th century. They found that China has produced 312 gigatons of carbon dioxide (CO2). All 27 EU countries combined have generated 303 gigatons. Both totals represent a big chunk of the 2,607 gigatons the world has released into the atmosphere in the past 200 years. The US has still produced the most in history. It has created 532 gigatons of CO2.

A gigaton is equal to one billion metric tons.

Carbon Brief published its report Tuesday. It noted that China’s production of CO2 has surged in the last three decades. It has pushed hard to modernize in that time. China is now a world superpower. It has promised to cut its emissions in future years. So has the US. Yet both countries still have energy policies that push the planet closer to the 2,800 gigaton mark. Carbon Brief says passing that threshold will result in the world going over the 1.5℃ (Celsius) warming limit. The limit was part of the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement.

Zhao Yingmin is China’s vice minister of ecology and environment. He spoke at this month's COP29 environment summit. He said that China’s policy is that “addressing climate change is a global consensus.” He vowed to work with other world leaders. He also said young people have a big role to play. He argued that “we need to mobilize all forces.”

Reflect: What role do you think young people can play in shaping the future of the environment?