The recent Group of Seven (G7) meeting in Japan resulted in a lengthy 40-page, 19,000-word statement..It covers various topics, including human rights in Afghanistan, artificial intelligence, and the need for “stable access to affordable, safe, sufficient and nutritious food for each and every individual.”.The statement from the Japan G7 meeting also stressed the importance of addressing climate change by urgently reducing global emissions..The G7, including Canada, is often seen as a powerful global club or alternative government..However, it represents only a small fraction of the world's population and accounts for less than half of the global economic output, which has steadily decreased..The contribution to greenhouse gas emissions by G7 countries is small and decreasing..While G7 countries are both contributors to and potential solvers, their impact is relatively small and shrinking..According to a recent report from the National Bank of Canada, Canada's share of global emissions dropped significantly over the past century..Despite population growth and increased oil output, Canada’s carbon emissions now only account for 1.5% of the world's total, down from 2.2% at the start of the century..From 1990 to 2021, the G7's share of global emissions decreased significantly, dropping from 40% to 21%..When considering the entire developed world, including the G7, the rest of the EU, Australia, South Korea, and a few other countries, their combined emissions accounted for around 30% of global emissions in 2021..The majority — around 70% and increasing rapidly — of global carbon emissions comes from the developing world..The emissions in the developed world have been gradually declining since the 1990s, while they have been rapidly increasing across the Global South..China emerged as the largest polluter globally, surpassing all other countries by a significant margin..Between 2002 and 2010, China's emissions more than doubled, while Canada's remained relatively stable..China's emission growth during that period was equivalent to adding the carbon emissions of Canada to the atmosphere annually for eight consecutive years..Although China's growth has since slowed, it's still adding new carbon emissions at a rate equivalent to one Canada every two years..China's contribution to global emissions is substantial, accounting for approximately one-third of the world's total emissions..That exceeds the combined emissions of all developed countries..To compare, China's emissions are more than 20 times higher than Canada's carbon output..India's emissions, once comparable to Canada's in 1990, now equal the emissions of the entire European Union..Similarly, with emissions a third of Canada’s in 1990, Indonesia has now surpassed Canada as a larger polluter..In 1990, Britain's carbon emissions were more than 2,500% higher than Vietnam's..However, by 2021, the two countries had nearly equal emissions..Britain reduced its emissions by almost half, while Vietnam's emissions increased sixteen-fold..The significant increase in carbon emissions in Vietnam came from the skyrocketing demand for electricity, primarily met by coal-based power generation..This pattern is observed in many developing countries..Vietnam's electricity production has risen by over 1,500% since 1995, with coal accounting for nearly half of its electricity generation.
