Climate Change: Do We Toot Our Own Horn too Loudly?

 The U.S. leads the world in reducing pollution. We are doing our share. It's the other countries that are dropping the ball. We produce the cleanest gasoline on earth. We cause the least pollution when we mine. We lead the world, we lead the world, we lead the world . . .

That is what many of our leaders are telling us. But is it so. Are we really so perfect as that? Or do we toot our own horn a little too loudly? Maybe even much too loudly?

Yes, it is true that we don't even produce half the pollution that China does, but China has a billion more people. If you break it down per capita, our CO2 emissions are twice those of China -- twice, 15.32 tons per capita to 7.44 for China. 

How good are we doing now?

Which country has banned the sale of new ICE vehicles for 2025? That would be Norway. In the U.S., the sale of ICE vehicles is still on an upward climb.

Which country ia most nearly converted to nuclear energy? The U.S. is respectable, getting 18.2 percent of its energy from nuclear. But a number of countries are way, way ahed, the list topped by Ukraine at 55 percent, Slovakia at 59.2 percent, and France at 62.6 percent.

Wind power? It accounts for 56 percent of Denmark's energy, 40 percent of Uruguay's, and 36 percent of Lithuania's. The U.S.? A comparatively feable 10 percent. 

Only 3.9 percent of the U.S. energy portfolio comes from solar; a whopping 40 percent comes from natural gas.

The U.S. always tries to be number 1. When it comes to producing green energy, however, we are failing. 

(Index -- Climate change info)