At the UN climate conference in Baku, delegates from climate-vulnerable countries argue that nations should be accountable for the pollution from fossil fuels they export, particularly to poorer nations.
The Paris Agreement requires countries to reduce domestic emissions but does not cover emissions from fossil fuels they export, allowing countries like the U.S., Norway, and Australia to continue high levels of fossil fuel production.
In 2022, U.S. fossil fuel exports caused over 2 billion tonnes of CO2 emissions abroad, about a third of U.S. domestic emissions.
For countries like Norway, Australia, and Canada, emissions from fossil fuel exports sometimes exceed their domestic emissions.
The U.S. exports fossil fuels primarily to Europe and China, with significant coal exports also going to North Africa, especially for cement and brick production.
Political Tensions: Azerbaijan’s president accused Western countries of double standards for criticizing others while continuing their own fossil fuel exports.
COMMENTS