Going Green: Help protect our planet and reduce pollution

When it comes to per capita emissions – the amount of CO2 emissions per person in the country, the picture for the UK gets a lot worse because, a lot of our manufacturing now happens overseas in countries like China – a place people often mention when it comes to discussing who is to blame for climate change.

However, the really shocking stat is that the UK is the fifth biggest historic emitter in the world and that matters because all the carbon pollution remains in the atmosphere trapping heat from the sun.

While China is first or second on the list of emissions currently, it’s also top of the list when it comes to green energy provision. The US is in the same position of being both second on the list for emissions but second on the list of green energy provision too.

The issue with the emissions and the effect they yield is that the biggest culprits are almost always at the bottom of the list when it comes to feeling the damage from them and vice versa.

The West African nation of Niger is 149th on the list of emitting countries out of 185 countries, unfortunately though it’s number one on the list of the most vulnerable nations. Those that are least responsible for climate change, suffer the most.

Guinea Bissau in West Africa is 173rd on the list when it comes to emissions, yet third on the most vulnerable list.

The countries near the equator and the low-lying island states in the Pacific like the Solomon Islands are all incredibly vulnerable to climate change in terms of drought, heatwaves, and rising sea levels yet they’ve done very little to contribute towards carbon pollution which is incredibly unfair.

The nations that have caused climate change are protected from the most devastating effects of it. This issue about fairness also applies in the UK as, it’s often lower income families who are unable to afford insurance or air conditioning.

It’s the most vulnerable being at the most risk of climate related health issues.

Built up areas and cities have the worst air pollution yet a lot of local authority housing are alongside main roads – the ones who don’t have a say in emissions once again being negatively impacted by them.

That’s why it’s vital we all do what we can to protect our planet and reduce pollution because we’re not just helping ourselves, we’re helping the people who may not have a voice.