Countries with the largest green house gases GHG emissions

A green house gas (GHG) is a gas that absorbs and emits radiant energy within the thermal infrared range, thereby increasing the heat in the atmosphere.

Some GHG are produced as part of the environment. Such natural GHG have always been part of the environment. However, there are also anthropogenic GHG; gases produced by human activities.

The current problem of GHG causing climate change and global warming is related to the anthropogenic GHG because they are produced at a much faster rate than the natural GHG.

Human activities since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution (around 1750) have produced a 45% increase in the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2), from 280 ppm in 1750 to 406 ppm in early 2017.

The vast majority of anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions (i.e., emissions produced by human activities) come from combustion of fossil fuels, principally coal, oil, and natural gas, with additional contributions coming from deforestation, changes in land use, soil erosion and agriculture (including livestock).

Which are the main GHG?

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the main anthropogenic GHG are:

*Carbon dioxide (CO2): Carbon dioxide enters the atmosphere through burning fossil fuels (coal, natural gas, and oil), solid waste, trees and other biological materials, and also as a result of certain chemical reactions (e.g., manufacture of cement). Carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere (or "sequestered") when it is absorbed by plants as part of the biological carbon cycle.

*Methane (CH4): Methane is emitted during the production and transport of coal, natural gas, and oil. Methane emissions also result from livestock and other agricultural practices and by the decay of organic waste in municipal solid waste landfills.

*Nitrous oxide (N2O): Nitrous oxide is emitted during agricultural and industrial activities, combustion of fossil fuels and solid waste, as well as during treatment of wastewater.

*Fluorinated gases: Hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, sulfur hexafluoride, and nitrogen trifluoride are synthetic, powerful greenhouse gases that are emitted from a variety of industrial processes. Fluorinated gases are sometimes used as substitutes for stratospheric ozone-depleting substances (e.g., chlorofluorocarbons, hydrochlorofluorocarbons, and halons).

Which country produces the most GHG?

The UN gas emission report shows that the main GHG producer (and by far) is China. China produces more than 13,000 Mt of GHG per year. The GHG produced by China is twice the total GHG produced by the USA.

The GHG emissions by China equal the GHG emissions by USA plus the GHG emissions by EU (28 states) plus the emissions from India plus Russia plus Japan.

China GHG = USA GHG + EU GHG + India GHG + Russia GHG + Japan GHG

The GHG emissions from China also equals the GHG emissions from all the other countries together.

The GHG emissions from China began rising in the early 2000s, at an incredible rate. On the other hand, the other countries show a stable trend with minor increments that are negligible compared with the emission by China. Only the EU shows a decreasing trend.