As the world focuses its attention on the upcoming COP28, the spotlight is also beginning to shift on two major contributors to global greenhouse gas emissions - Canada and the United States. Despite making their commitments under the monumental Paris Agreement, it has been discovered that their reported greenhouse gas emission data does not take into account their extensive oil and gas exports. This glaring omission is raising questions about the credibility and integrity of their climate action plans.
1. As the world prepares for COP28, increased attention is being paid to the role of Canada and the US, two significant contributors to global greenhouse gas emissions.
2. Despite both countries having made commitments under the Paris Agreement, it has been found that their reported greenhouse gas emissions data does not include the emissions from their extensive oil and gas exports.
3. This omission means that a large proportion of emissions made by their fossil fuel industries is not being accounted for in their climate action plans.
4. The current emissions reporting overlooks the international responsibilities of these countries, since the petroleum products they export produce large amounts of CO2 once used overseas.
5. Critics argue that by not including these emissions in their climate goals, Canada and the US are presenting a distorted view of their environmental impact and failing to fully acknowledge or address the extent of their industries' contribution to global warming.
According to a study by the Stockholm Environment Institute, the emissions from U.S. and Canadian oil, gas, and coal exports are nearly double the fossil fuel production in these countries themselves.
This mishap means that the bulk of emissions generated by their large scale fossil fuel industry is not accounted for in the mitigation commitments made. Although the greenhouse gas emissions complete report scopes within domestic terrains, it bypasses the cogent issue of international responsibilities. Their petroleum products, once overseas, produce vast amounts of CO2 that enters the world's atmosphere. Critics argue that excluding these emissions from climate change goals paints a distorted picture of Canada's and the U.S.'s environmental footprint. The argument is that they are not faithfully acknowledging nor addressing the full scope of the impact their industries have on global warming.