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Thursday, February 22, 2007

Dallas thinktank claims U.S. cutting greenhouse gases better than Europe

By Pegasus News wire

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DALLAS — Despite constant criticism from environmental activists at home and across Europe claiming the U.S. government is doing nothing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, new evidence suggests America's efforts are more effective than those of Europe's. According to a scholar with the right-wing National Center for Policy Analysis (NCPA), the U.S. has spent more on research and technologies to reduce climate change than any other country, and its business-led efforts are paying off.

The typical European was unavailable for comment.

Photo not provided by Europe

The typical European was unavailable for comment.

"The U.S. is doing a far better job reigning in its emission than Europe, even though it has a faster growing economy and population," said NCPA Senior Fellow H. Sterling Burnett. "Rather than signing treaties that look good on paper but do nothing to really bring about reductions, U.S. industry has taken the lead as a business matter, reducing emissions as a matter of efficiency -- saving costs and improving the bottom line."

According to data from the United Nations:

  • America's rate of growth in CO2 emissions from 2000-04 was eight percentage points lower than from 1995-2000. By comparison, the original 15 EU nations saw an increase of 2.3 percentage points.
  • From 2000-04, EU-15 emissions grew at nearly double the U.S. rate.
  • During the same time period, the U.S. economy grew by almost $1.9 trillion - the equivalent of adding Italy to the U.S. economy.
  • Further, the U.S. population increased by 11.3 million people - adding more than the population of Greece.

"U.S. businesses are succeeding where European bureaucracy is failing," said Burnett.

The NCPA web site states that it "receives 70% of its funding from foundations, 20% from corporations, and 10% from individuals." Between 1985 and 2001, the Center received $4,031,000 in 75 separate grants from only twelve foundations, including the ExxonMobil Foundation, the Castle Rock Foundation (funded by Coors), the Koch Family Foundation (funded by Koch Industries, the nation's largest privately-held energy company), the Scaife Foundation (funded mostly by the oil, uranium and banking fortune made by Richard Mellon Scaife), and others.

Source: National Center for Policy Analysis, Sourcewatch

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Comments

HRU Anonymous

Few seem aware that Canadians use more energy than citizens of any other country. Most would think that Americans out-consume and out-pollute all others, but it's not true. (It's almost true, but not quite.)

2 years, 5 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

jefmelch Anonymous

Canada has more miles per citizen to travel than most every where else; and has the most tons (of ice ... valid unit of thermal load in HVAC engineering -- look it up.) of HVAC needs per household. Heating more than cooling or ventilation, but still.

The US and Canada share that situation. The Europeans who sneer at North American energy consumption rates live in (a) a more temperate climate on (b) a smaller continent with (c) a denser population with (d) such a threat of nuclear WAR looming over them the last 50 years that the miniscule risks of a nuclear ELECTRICAL GENERATION accident are perceived (absolutely correctly) to be neglible.

2 years, 5 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

twisteddog

twisteddog Anonymous

If you liked this article, perhaps you'd like to read more nonsense from H. Sterling Burnett:

Coal Power in the Black: A Boon for Human Health and the Economy

Kyoto chills hopes of developing world

2 years, 5 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Teresa Gubbins

Teresa Gubbins Staff

i like when americans righteously point the finger at canada, china, and "sneering" europe. anybody, anything, so long as we don't have to, even for a second, consider our own wastefulness. why shouldn't we leave the ceiling fans on all day and the lights on all night? why shouldn't we drive SUVs? why shouldn't we use a disproportionate share of water to make our nonnative St. Augustine grass look green? why shouldn't we drink all the bottled water we can? we're americans.

2 years, 5 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

kirk

kirk Anonymous

The top-line figures on Canada also miss an important fact: that 56% of the electricity used in Canada comes from renewable hydro. So even though per capita energy consumption in Canada is 18% higher than in the U.S., emissions of greenhouse gases per capita is 9% lower.

2 years, 5 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

kirk

kirk Anonymous

Another "fun" fact: Ontario -- smelter of steel and aluminum, manufacturer of cars and trucks, back-bacon butcher to the world -- is the third-biggest spewer of pollutants in North America, exceeded only by Ohio and Texas. http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/cabs/cane...

2 years, 5 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

J_Mortimer Anonymous

Everyone should be suspicious of anything the NCPA says. They are not just some neutral "think tank." They are funded by people with energy interests in the United States especially Texas.

J

2 years, 5 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

DC

DC Anonymous

It should also be known that there is no clean water, oil, nor girls in bikinis in Canada. As such, we must save ourselves from this northern menace by installing the laser fence as soon as possible.

2 years, 5 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Billusa99

Billusa99 Anonymous

There's lotsa girls in bikinis in my home and native land. But, do ya think I'm gonna tell the energy fact-challenged Texans here where they are? Yea... riiiiight!

And, I'm long on Canadian E&P companies, so I can retire on Vancouver Island. Far, far away from Craddick & Perry and all the yahoos who just kowtowed yet again to the Texas... I mean TXU... energy industry.

2 years, 5 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

DC

DC Anonymous

Geez, Bill, Jack Layton sent out the memo a while ago to all Canadians south of the 49th to shut up about all that stuff.

Again, there is no clean water, oil nor girls in bikinis in Canada, RIGHT BILL??

Right.

2 years, 5 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

kirk

kirk Anonymous

Salt Spring Island, Bill. No bikinis -- or other swimwear -- there, either.

2 years, 5 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

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