question: How much CO2 is Canada emitting? And how does it compare with the rest of the world?

There is much discussion in the news around climate change, greenhouse gas, carbon tax, etc., and many questions to be addressed.  An appropriate place to start seems to be around Canada’s emissions, relative to the rest of the world.

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the primary greenhouse gas emitted through human activity, accounting for over 80% of greenhouse gases. 

​% of Global CO2 Emissions, by Country (2017)

SOURCE: World Economic Forum

With the amount of data feeding into these numbers there is variability depending where the data comes from, however the values are within a reasonably close range.

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Although Canada’s total emissions can seem relatively small, the per capita value offers a different perspective.
​
Per Capita CO2 Emissions, in the Worlds Largest Economies in 2016

​SOURCE: World Economic Forum

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Where are Canada’s emissions coming from?

GHG Emissions Reported by Economic Sector

Source: Government of Canada

The above is a breakdown of total emissions, reported in carbon dioxide equivalent.  In addition to the carbon dioxide reported in the top two charts (~80%), it also includes methane (~10%), nitrous oxide, and fluorinated gases.

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