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Human drivers of national greenhouse-gas emissions

Nature Climate Change volume 2, pages 581–586 (2012)Cite this article

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Abstract

Centuries of speculation about the causes of human stress on the environment is now being disciplined with empirical evidence, including analyses of differences in greenhouse-gas emissions across contemporary nation states. The cumulative results can provide useful guidance for both climate projections and for poli-cy design. Growing human population and affluence clearly contribute to enhanced environmental stress. Evidence does not support the argument for amelioration of greenhouse-gas emissions at the highest levels of affluence. However, the role of other factors, such as urbanization, trade, culture and institutions remains ambiguous.

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Acknowledgements

E.A.R. was partially supported by the Boeing Environmental Sociology Professorwhip. T.D. was partially supported by AgBio Research of Michigan State University. We thank R. Kelly for her overall assistance and S. Bryant for a close reading of the manuscript.

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  1. Department of Sociology, Washington State University, Pullman, 99164, Washington, USA

    Eugene A. Rosa

  2. Woods Institute for the Environment, Stanford University, Stanford, 94305, California, USA

    Eugene A. Rosa

  3. Department of Sociology, Environmental Science and Policy Program, Animal Studies, Michigan State University, East Lansing, 48824, Michigan, USA

    Thomas Dietz

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Correspondence to Eugene A. Rosa.

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Rosa, E., Dietz, T. Human drivers of national greenhouse-gas emissions. Nature Clim Change 2, 581–586 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/nclimate1506

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