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For use with “Feeling the Heat” on p. 14 of the magazine
Greenhouse
Gas Emissions
The bar graph below shows the 10 countries
with the most greenhouse gas emissions.
I
pledged to work to reduce
11,000
the greenhouse gas emissions
10,000
contributing to global warming.
The graph at right shows which
countries have the most work
to do. These 10 nations are
responsible for more than half
of the global total of 47,500
million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions. The
lineup is hardly surprising,
however. All of these nations
(IN MILLIONS OF METRIC TONS), 2012
that most scientists agree are
GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS
9,000
8,000
7,000
6,000
5,000
4,000
3,000
2,000
1,000
rank among the world’s
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is the burning of fossil fuels
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major source of emissions
U.S
.
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20 largest economies; one
CH
Uses: copy machine, opaque projector, or transparency master for overhead projector. Scholastic Inc. grants teacher-subscribers to The New York Times Upfront permission to reproduce this Skills Sheet for use in their classrooms. ©2016 by Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved.
n December, 195 nations
COUNTRY
by various industries.
SOURCE: WORLD RESOURCES INSTITUTE; 2012 DATA ARE THE MOST RECENT AVAILABLE.
ANALYZE THE GRAPH
1. Which country
2. China emitted
3. Many want the
4.
In 2012, Iceland
5. Which of these
on the graph
just over three
U.S. to cut
emitted about
continents does
emitted about
times as many
emissions to
2.7 million
not have a nation
2,250 million
metric tons of
5,000 million
metric tons
on the top 10 list
metric tons of
greenhouse
metric tons by
of greenhouse
of greenhouse gas
greenhouse
gases as ___.
2025. That’s
gases, or about
emitters?
about a ___ from
one thousandth
2012 levels.
of __ emissions.
gases?
a
India
a
Europe
a
the U.S.
b
Canada
b
Africa
b
India
c
Japan
a
50 percent drop
a
China’s
c
South America
c
Russia
d
the U.S.
b
30 percent drop
b
the U.S.’s
d
both b & c
d
Indonesia
c
15 percent drop
c
India’s
d
2 percent drop
d
Germany’s
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
6. What are some ways a country might reduce its emissions of greenhouse gases?
7. Many of the nations hit hard by climate change, like the Marshall Islands, have very low greenhouse gas
emissions. How does that affect your view of how we should respond to climate change? Do you think major
greenhouse-gas-emitting nations have a responsibility to aid nations like the Marshall Islands? Why or why not?
8. Do you think a nation can continue to grow economically without increasing its greenhouse gas emissions? Explain.
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