EST 612. Environmental Policy and Governance The United States and China: A Brief Comparison David A. Sonnenfeld Dept. of Environmental Studies College of Environmental Science and Forestry State University of New York Syracuse, NY, USA February 2010

2 United States of America (USA) World's largest economy –$12.15 trillion GNI per year, 3.4% growth rate (2004 est.) –$40 billion FDI (2002 est.) –$37,388 GDP per capita (2003 est.) Population: million, 1.0% growth rate (2006 est.) Ecological footprint (2003 est.) –United States: 9.6 ha per capita –Finland: 7.6 ha per capita –Canada: 7.6 ha per capita World's most polluting country –22.5 % of total CO 2 emissions (1998 est.) –CO 2 emissions: 19.8 metric tons/ per capita (2000 est.) –CO 2 emissions: 5,590 mmt total (2000 est.)

3 Environmental Quality in the USA Per Cent Source: US EPA (2004)

4 Environmental Quality in the USA Source: US EPA (2003)

5 People’s Republic of China World's fastest growing economy –$1.68 trillion GNI per year, 8.8% growth rate (2004 est.) –$49 billion FDI (2002 est.) –$1,094 GDP per capita (2003 est.) Population –1/5 of world’s total –1.3 billion, 0.7% growth rate (2006 est.) Ecological footprint (2003 est.) –China: 1.6 ha per capita –Albania: 1.4 ha per capita –Dominican Rep.: 1.6 ha per capita Pollution –CO 2 emissions: 2.2 metric tons/ per capita (2000 est.) –CO 2 emissions: 2,780 mmt (2000 est.)

6 Environmental Quality in China Source: Liu and Diamond (2005)

7 Environmental Quality in China Source: Liu and Diamond (2005)

8 Environmental Quality in China Source: Liu and Diamond (2005)

9 Ratification of Environmental Agreements United StatesChina International Trade in Endangered Species (1973) Yes Montreal Protocol (1987) Yes Basel Convention (1989) NoYes Convention on Biological Diversity (1992) NoYes Kyoto Protocol (1997)NoYes