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<\/a>Aggegrate Contributions of Major GHG Emitting Countries: CAIT tool<\/p><\/div>\n
Are the largest historic emitters of greenhouse gases, the United States and Great Britain, responsible for our current situation? Or the current largest emitters? Should emissions be calculated as an aggregate? Or based upon a number of factors, as suggest in the book A Climate of Injustice<\/em><\/a> by Roberts and Parks. According the authors, states\u2019 contributions to climate change can be statistically calculated by accounting for factors such as \u201cnational wealth, trade intensity, population, geography, institutions, and industrial structure.\u201d Scientists, activists, and states could argue without end, tirelessly pointing fingers to solve the greatest “Who Dun It?” mystery of all time.<\/p>\n It is more important that currently, all of the nation-states on the planet are facing one of the largest challenges of all time. Rather than debate whose past is dirtiest (energy pun intended), states might be better off focusing more upon the legality of the United Nations Framework on Climate Change. Article 3 sums up an answer quite nicely. It reads, \u201cthe parties should protect the climate system for the benefit of present and future generations of humankind, on the basis of equity and in accordance with their common but differentiated responsibilities and capabilities. Accordingly, the developed country Parties should take the lead in combating climate change and the adverse effects thereof.\u201d Although Article 3 does not cover all of the complexities of the problem, it does provide a starting point. A \u201cframework,\u201d if you will.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Sources:<\/p>\n United Nations Framework on Climate Change, 1992.<\/p>\n