Study: Rich Cities Largely Responsible for Greenhouse Gases

 

Rich cities around the world are largely responsible for greenhouse gas emissions², says a new study.

The study measures emissions based on the use of goods and services, such as food, clothing and electronics, by people living inside cities. It includes the impact of trade of such goods between points of production and use.

This is a change from traditional measures, which look at emissions from production of goods.

When measuring these gases based on consumption, rather than manufacturing, the biggest emitters are mainly cities in North America and Europe. The study found their emissions were 60 percent higher than currently estimated.

Researchers shared this information this month at a United Nations climate conference in Edmonton, a city in Alberta, Canada.

About 750 city leaders, university researchers and scientists from 80 countries took part. They discussed the latest climate research and what local governments can do to fight climate change.

Attendee Mark Watts³ is the head of C40, the organization that did the study. C40 is an alliance of more than 90 cities working to fight climate change. The study examined 79 cities that are part of the alliance.

Watts said this newer method offers a fuller picture of greenhouse gas emissions by linking them to consumers rather than manufacturers.

The new estimates put the responsibility on richer consumers and “increase(s) the scope of things that policy makers⁴ in cities” can do to lower emissions, he said.

Cities use more than two-thirds of the world’s energy.

Big cities, big problem

The new estimate comes at a time when there is concern that national governments will not meet the climate promises they made in 2015 in Paris.

Traditionally researchers have considered manufacturing countries such as China and India among the top emitters of greenhouse gases. This study shows that the demand for and use of the products of such manufacturers is part of the overall process of greenhouse gas emissions.

Debra Roberts is one of the heads of the United Nation’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. She said that using consumption-based measures was “revolutionary.”

“But ... these are ideas whose time is probably almost imminent⁵,” she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation during the conference.

I'm Alice Bryant.

Words in This Story

greenhouse gas – n. n. a group of gases that trap heat and are linked to increased temperatures in the atmosphere, including carbon dioxide and methane⁶

emission¹ – n. n. the act of producing or sending out something (such as energy or gas) from a source?

consumption – n. the use of something

scope – n. the area that is included in or dealt with by something

imminent – adj. happening very soon

1 emission   

n.发出物，散发物；发出，散发

参考例句：

• Rigorous measures will be taken to reduce the total pollutant emission.采取严格有力措施，降低污染物排放总量。
• Finally,the way to effectively control particulate emission is pointed out.最后，指出有效降低颗粒排放的方向。

2 emissions   

排放物( emission的名词复数 )； 散发物（尤指气体）

参考例句：

• Most scientists accept that climate change is linked to carbon emissions. 大多数科学家都相信气候变化与排放的含碳气体有关。
• Dangerous emissions radiate from plutonium. 危险的辐射物从钚放散出来。

3 watts   

（电力计量单位）瓦，瓦特( watt的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• My lamp uses 60 watts; my toaster uses 600 watts. 我的灯用60瓦，我的烤面包器用600瓦。
• My lamp uses 40 watts. 我的灯40瓦。

4 makers   

n.制造者，制造商（maker的复数形式）

参考例句：

• The makers of the product assured us that there had been no sacrifice of quality. 这一产品的制造商向我们保证说他们没有牺牲质量。
• The makers are about to launch out a new product. 制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 imminent   

adj.即将发生的，临近的，逼近的

参考例句：

• The black clounds show that a storm is imminent.乌云预示暴风雨即将来临。
• The country is in imminent danger.国难当头。

6 methane   

n.甲烷，沼气

参考例句：

• The blast was caused by pockets of methane gas that ignited.爆炸是由数袋甲烷气体着火引起的。
• Methane may have extraterrestrial significance.甲烷具有星际意义。