What's the truth about US greenhouse gases?

Question

Doesn't nature produce some greenhouse gases? Isn't there evidence that the planet is warming naturally? While man-made green house gases are a problem, how much does the US contribute compared to, let's say China? I tired of the view man, alone, in the US is destroying the earth. What the balanced facts?

Answer 1

Nature does produce some greenhouse gasses, and the planet may be warming naturally. But there is no denying the fact that the burning of natural gas, oil and especially coal has far outstripped all natural sources of CO2. We know for sure that people are responsible for the extra CO2, it is the warming where we don't really know.

The US produced 5,158 million tons of CO2 in 1993, and 5,802 tons in 2003. (See the table at the bottom of the first source)

China produced 2,587 tons in 1993 and 3,541 in 2003. (See the table at the bottom of the second source)

So the US is increasing CO2 emissions by 12% a decade and China is increasing at 37% a decade. At that rate, China would pass the US and become the number one contributor to global warming in less than 30 years. Since the Kyoto treaty requires the US to pay penalties for its increase but does not require China to pay any penalty or even attempt to reduce its emissions, the US has not ratified the treaty.