U.S. Population’s Energy Use Key to Dealing With Global Climate Change, New Map Shows

CONTACTS

Vicky Markham , Center for Environment and Population, (203)966-3425 Bill Burtis, Clean Air-Cool Planet, (603) 422-6464 Nicole Tidwell, CCMC, (202)326-8710

December 2, 2009 -- As the world’s nations meet in Copenhagen for talks next week on climate change, global pressure is rising on the United States as the world’s biggest energy consumer to take a corresponding lead role in curbing the “greenhouse gas” emissions that cause climate change. A new interactive map released today on “U.S. Population and Climate Change” shows U.S. standings in population size, energy use and other factors that contribute to global climate change, broken down state-by-state.  It is the first such map to couple U.S. population and climate change data to show their linkages.

The new map, a companion to the “U.S. Population, Energy & Climate Change” report from the Center for Environment and Population (CEP), shows U.S. national, regional and state-by-state ranking on energy consumption, CO2 emissions, per-capita vehicle miles traveled, population numbers and growth rates, and housing units (more houses = more appliances = more energy use).

With 5% of global population, the United States uses 25% of the world’s energy and produces five times the world per-capita average of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions (the primary “greenhouse gas” contributor to climate change). "The U.S. population’s disproportionate role has not gone unnoticed by nations scheduled to meet in Copenhagen," said Vicky Markham, CEP Director. "Many leaders have said the United States must do more to curb its emissions if it expects other countries to do likewise."

Within the global context, the new map demonstrates:

• The way that the large and fast-growing U.S. population combines with high rates of energy consumption and emissions to make America pivotal in the global climate change debate;
• America’s per-person link to global climate change is bigger than that of any other nation, so that individual behavior is critical; and
• The disproportionate U.S. contributions to world climate change which suggest it must take a stronger leadership role in responding to global warming.

Current trends indicate a real potential that there will be 1 billion high energy-consuming Americans by 2100. "Meeting the demands of that many people for energy and resources while also trying to reduce carbon change emissions will be an enormous challenge," said Bill Burtis of CACP. "Mapping where and how Americans use energy is a major step forward."

The map is a product of the Center for Environment and Population (CEP) and Clean Air-Cool Planet (CACP).

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