Top Ten CO2 Producing Nations

Carbon Dioxide is a global problem, but the countries that produce the greatest amount per person are in North America, Europe and Australia. If Carbon Dioxide reductions are to be made, the lead has to be taken by people living in these countries. Most Carbon Dioxide in these countries comes from burning fossil fuels, such as coal, gas and oil to heat buildings (including homes) and transport. Of course, Carbon Dioxide is also given off by all living things, but in general plants capture as much as animals and micro-organisms generate. In contrast, Carbon Dioxide produced by burning fuel adds to the gases in the atmosphere and cannot be captured by plants.

There are three main reasons why some countries use more energy per person than others: 

• Climate 

• The level of industrial development 

• Energy taxes

Carbon Dioxide emissions also depend on how electricity is generated.

China has overtaken the United States as the world's biggest producer of carbon dioxide due to the booming Chinese economy and overall growth of the population and raised standard of living. 

For many years The USA was the world's largest producer of Carbon Dioxide. This is partly because it has the highest material wealth in the world, in total and on a per person basis. But it also suffers from a relatively extreme continental climate, with bitterly cold winters away from the coast and blisteringly hot summers. Much energy is used in heating and cooling buildings. Americans are also famous for their love of the automobile. Gasoline is, by European standards, very cheap, and many American cities are widely spread out, causing inhabitants to drive long distances to work or to shop.

On average, people in China are responsible for 3.5 tons of CO2 each per year, whereas in the UK it's nearly 10 tons and for The United States  it's 20 tons. Qatar is the highest per capita at about 79 tons.

Ranking of the world's countries by  total CO2 emissions

Credit: Oak Ridge National Laboratory