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Cumulative CO 2 emissions: shifting international responsibilities for climate debt

Author

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  • W. J.W. BOTZEN
  • J. M. GOWDY
  • J. C.J.M. VAN DEN BERGH

Abstract

In contrast to many discussions based on annual emissions, this article presents calculations and projections of cumulative contributions to the stock of atmospheric CO 2 by the major players, China, Europe, India, Japan and the USA, for the period 1900-2080. Although relative contributions to the climate problem are changing dramatically, notably due to the rapid industrialization of China, long-term responsibilities for enhanced global warming have not been transparently quantified in the literature. The analysis shows that if current trends continue, by the middle of this century China will overtake the USA as the major cumulative contributor to atmospheric concentrations of CO 2 . This has enormous implications for the debate on the ethical responsibilities of the major greenhouse gas emitters. Effective climate policy will require both the recognition of shared responsibility and an unprecedented degree of cooperation.

Suggested Citation

  • W. J.W. Botzen & J. M. Gowdy & J. C.J.M. Van Den Bergh, 2008. "Cumulative CO 2 emissions: shifting international responsibilities for climate debt," Climate Policy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 8(6), pages 569-576, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:tcpoxx:v:8:y:2008:i:6:p:569-576
    DOI: 10.3763/cpol.2008.0539
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    1. Stern,Nicholas, 2007. "The Economics of Climate Change," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521700801, Enero-Abr.
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    Cited by:

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    2. Wada, Kenichi & Sano, Fuminori & Akimoto, Keigo & Homma, Takashi, 2012. "Assessment of Copenhagen pledges with long-term implications," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 34(S3), pages 481-486.
    3. Yannis Dafermos, 2022. "Climate change, central banking and financial supervision: beyond the risk exposure approach," Chapters, in: Sylvio Kappes & Louis-Philippe Rochon & Guillaume Vallet (ed.), The Future of Central Banking, chapter 8, pages 175-194, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    4. Elinor Ostrom, 2016. "Nested Externalities and Polycentric Institutions: Must We Wait for Global Solutions to Climate Change Before Taking Actions at Other Scales?," Studies in Economic Theory, in: Graciela Chichilnisky & Armon Rezai (ed.), The Economics of the Global Environment, pages 259-276, Springer.
    5. Boly, Mohamed & Combes, Jean-Louis & Menuet, Maxime & Minea, Alexandru & Motel, Pascale Combes & Villieu, Patrick, 2022. "Can public debt mitigate environmental debt? Theory and empirical evidence," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 111(C).
    6. Yongbum Kwon & Hyeji Lee & Heekwan Lee, 2018. "Implication of the cluster analysis using greenhouse gas emissions of Asian countries to climate change mitigation," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 23(8), pages 1225-1249, December.
    7. Priddat, Birger & Schlaudt, Oliver, 2025. "Beyond conservation of natural capital: Rethinking sustainability in the Anthropocene," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 235(C).
    8. Karlsson, Rasmus, 2012. "Carbon lock-in, rebound effects and China at the limits of statism," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 939-945.
    9. Elizabeth Stanton, 2011. "Negishi welfare weights in integrated assessment models: the mathematics of global inequality," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 107(3), pages 417-432, August.
    10. Kadier, Abudukeremu & Kalil, Mohd Sahaid & Abdeshahian, Peyman & Chandrasekhar, K. & Mohamed, Azah & Azman, Nadia Farhana & Logroño, Washington & Simayi, Yibadatihan & Hamid, Aidil Abdul, 2016. "Recent advances and emerging challenges in microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) for microbial production of hydrogen and value-added chemicals," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 501-525.
    11. Jobst Heitzig & Sarah Hiller, 2020. "Degrees of individual and groupwise backward and forward responsibility in extensive-form games with ambiguity, and their application to social choice problems," Papers 2007.07352, arXiv.org.
    12. Isabel Gallego Alvarez, 2012. "Impact of CO2 Emission Variation on Firm Performance," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 21(7), pages 435-454, November.
    13. Cristina Davino & Vincenzo Esposito Vinzi & Estefania Santacreu-Vasut & Radu Vranceanu, 2019. "An Attitude Model of Environmental Action: Evidence from Developing and Developed Countries," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 143(2), pages 811-838, June.
    14. John Gowdy & Roxana Juliá, 2010. "Global Warming Economics in the Long Run: A Conceptual Framework," Land Economics, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 86(1), pages 117-130.
    15. Davino, Cristina & Esposito Vinzi, Vincenzo & Santacreu-Vasut, Estefania & Vrancanu, Radu, 2017. "An attitude model of environmental action : evidence from developing and developed countries," ESSEC Working Papers WP1703, ESSEC Research Center, ESSEC Business School.
    16. Mohamed Boly & Jean-Louis Combes & Pascale Combes Motel & Maxime Menuet & Alexandru Minea & Patrick Villieu, 2019. "Public debt versus Environmental debt: What are the relevant Tradeoffs?," Post-Print hal-02315163, HAL.

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