China to pass US on CO2 emission in 2007

But still 15 percent below world per-capita average

Independent data analysis says China will pass the U.S. in total carbon dioxide output this year.

At first glace, that might seem to reinforce the belief of many conservatives that China needs to commit to a full-blown Kyoto itself before we do. (That’s ignoring that for most conservatives, that’s just rhetoric.)

But, China’s per-capita carbon dioxide output of 3.2 metric tons is still 15 percent below the world average of 3.7 metric tons. And it’s still just 15 percent of the U.S. per-capita output of 20 metric tons.

That said, I believe China does need to take some steps toward building cleaner new electric plants.

China between now and 2015 will build power generating capacity equal to the entire existing capacity in the whole of the European Union, the (International Energy Agency) estimates.

Those plants are going to be around for decades. They need to be clean-burning. On the other hand, because so much of China’s electrical power is used to fire manufacturing plants of U.S. companies that have moved their work over to China, the Chinese should get these same companies to help pay the bill for cleaner electric plants.

Surely, a few dinero out of the millions of dollars of excess CEO pay could be better used in this cause.

Note: China’s “neighbors” in CO2 production are Turkey and Argentina. No. 2 after the U.S. is … Saudi Arabia, with the electricity for all its desert air conditioning, according to information from the United Nations Environment Program.