United States Pollution Stats
Definitions
- Carbon Dioxide from fossil fuels 2000: Includes carbon dioxide emissions from the consumption of petroleum, natural gas, and coal, and the flaring of natural gas.
- Carbon Dioxide per capita: Tons of Carbon Dioxide produced per capita in 1998 or latest available year. Carbon dioxide from energy use only. Excludes international marine bunkers.
- Climate change > Agrees climate change is caused by human activity: Percentage of population who responded yes when asked if they believed global warming was a result of human activities. In this survey, global warming refers to the current rise in earth's temperature and not climate change as a whole.
- Climate change > Climate change awareness: Percentage of each country's population who claimed knowing "something" or a "great deal" about climate change when asked: "How much do you know about global warming or climate change?"
- Greenhouse gas emissions > Carbon dioxide (CO2) > CO2 emissions: Amount of carbon dioxide emissions by select Western countries. Amounts are by thousand metric tons.
- Greenhouse gas emissions > Carbon dioxide (CO2) > CO2 emissions per thousand people: Amount of carbon dioxide emissions by select Western countries. Amounts are by thousand metric tons. . Figures expressed per thousand people for the same year.
- Greenhouse gas emissions > Emissions (CO2 equivalent): Carbon dioxide equivalent of all greenhouse gas emissions not including human-based land use, land use change and forestry. These numbers do not represent total greenhouse gas emissions, but rather the total amount of CO2 that would have to be emitted to have the same global warming potential (GWP) as the total amount of greenhouse gases emitted. The GWP of a greenhouse gas is useful in determining a country's overall impact on climate change.
- Greenhouse gas emissions > Methane (CH4) > Emissions (CO2 equivalent) per thousand people: Carbon dioxide equivalent of methane emissions not including human-based land use, land use change and forestry. These numbers do not represent total methane emissions, but rather the total amount of CO2 that would have to be emitted to have the same global warming potential (GWP) as the amount of methane emitted, which is 21 times more CO2. The GWP of a greenhouse gas is useful in determining a country's overall impact on climate change. Figures expressed per thousand people for the same year.
- Greenhouse gas emissions > Sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) > Emissions (CO2 equivalent): Carbon dioxide equivalent of sulphur hexafluoride emissions over 100 years. These numbers do not represent total SF6 emissions, but rather the total amount of CO2 that would have to be emitted to have the same global warming potential (GWP) as the total amount of SF6 emitted over 100 years. A 100 year time scale is used since SF6 has a shorter atmospheric lifetime than CO2. The GWP of a greenhouse gas is useful in determining a country's overall impact on climate change.
- Greenhouse gas emissions > Sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) > Emissions (CO2 equivalent) per million people: Carbon dioxide equivalent of sulphur hexafluoride emissions over 100 years. These numbers do not represent total SF6 emissions, but rather the total amount of CO2 that would have to be emitted to have the same global warming potential (GWP) as the total amount of SF6 emitted over 100 years. A 100 year time scale is used since SF6 has a shorter atmospheric lifetime than CO2. The GWP of a greenhouse gas is useful in determining a country's overall impact on climate change. Figures expressed per million people for the same year.
- Nuclear waste: Wastes from spent fuel arising in nuclear power plants, measured in terms of heavy metal. Data for 1998 or latest available year.
- Organic water pollutant > BOD emissions > Kg per day: Organic water pollutant (BOD) emissions (kg per day). Emissions of organic water pollutants are measured by biochemical oxygen demand, which refers to the amount of oxygen that bacteria in water will consume in breaking down waste. This is a standard water-treatment test for the presence of organic pollutants.
- Ozone depleting substance consumption: Consumption of all Ozone-Depleting Substances in ODP metric tons.
- Ozone depleting substance consumption per million people: Consumption of all Ozone-Depleting Substances in ODP metric tons. Figures expressed per million people for the same year.
- PM10, country level > Micrograms per cubic meter: PM10, country level (micrograms per cubic meter). Particulate matter concentrations refer to fine suspended particulates less than 10 microns in diameter (PM10) that are capable of penetrating deep into the respiratory tract and causing significant health damage. Data for countries and aggregates for regions and income groups are urban-population weighted PM10 levels in residential areas of cities with more than 100,000 residents. The estimates represent the average annual exposure level of the average urban resident to outdoor particulate matter. The state of a country's technology and pollution controls is an important determinant of particulate matter concentrations.
SOURCES: U.S. Energy Information Administration, International Energy Annual, 2002, and International Energy Outlook, 2001; Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, Paris, France, OECD Environmental Data Compendium; Wikipedia: Climate change opinion by country; United Nations Statistics Division. Source tables; United Nations Statistics Division. Source tables. Population figures from World Bank: (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects, (2) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Report (various years), (3) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (4) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (5) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme, and (6) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database.; United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Source tables; United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Source tables. Population figures from World Bank: (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects, (2) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Report (various years), (3) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (4) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (5) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme, and (6) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database.; United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Source tables; United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Source tables. Population figures from World Bank: (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects, (2) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Report (various years), (3) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (4) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (5) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme, and (6) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database.; Industrial Pollution in Economic Development: Kuznets Revisited; United Nations Statistics Division. Source tables; United Nations Statistics Division. Source tables. Population figures from World Bank: (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects, (2) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Report (various years), (3) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (4) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (5) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme, and (6) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database.; World Bank, Development Research Group and Environment Department
Citation
United States Environment > Pollution Profiles (Subcategories)
| Climate change 3 | Greenhouse gas emissions 15 |
