Asian Geographic2017

ChinaIran MalaysiaLibyaIsraelSingaporeJapanPalauTaiwanSouth KoreaRussiaTurkmenistanMongoliaKazakhstanOmanSaudi ArabiaUAE BruneiBahrainKuwaitQatar

East

11

10

9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0

EmISSIONS OF C

aRbON p

ER C

ap

IT

a (TONNES

)

11.03

7.43

7.43

5.10 5.16

4.89

4.19 4.27

3.97

3.40 3.48

3.24

2.92 3.06

2.48 2.55 2.67

2.05 2.18 2.19 2.22

Understanding Emissions

Many people make the mistake of conflating carbon

emissions with carbon dioxide emissions. Climate expert

Dr Joe Romm explains the difference: “The fraction of

carbon in carbon dioxide is the ratio of their weights. The

atomic weight of carbon is 12 atomic mass units, while

the weight of carbon dioxide is 44, because it includes

two oxygen atoms that each weigh 16. So, to switch from

one to the other, use the formula: One tonne of carbon

equals 44/12 = 11/3 = 3.67 tonnes of carbon dioxide.”

China, for example, is the global frontrunner in terms of
total emissions, exceeding that of the US in 2007. But,
China is also a rapidly developing country with a very high
population. In measuring the emissions per individual, China
is ranked 50th in carbon emissions per capita, compared to
Qatar, ranked first. Here, we show some of the top 50 global
emitters per capita in the East and West, respectively.