The startling statement is revealed today by the World Development Movement (WDM), which says that while the least developed countries do not contribute to global warming, the millions who live there are most vulnerable to the consequences of climate change.
Eight days into the new year, the average UK citizen will be responsible for the production of 0.21 tonnes of carbon dioxide – the same amount as the annual tally for a person in countries such as Zambia.
The report says that to prevent rising temperatures, each person can only emit 1.1 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year. While the world’s poorest and many developing countries meet this target, by February 10, the average British person will have broken it.
The report also says that strong economic growth in China and India means they are often wrongly labelled as the main culprits. While India has 16.8% of the world’s population it emits just 4.1% of the world’s carbon dioxide. Meanwhile, China is the world’s leader in solar power.
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photo by Sepperer Markus