Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Shanghai, Tokyo, New York, and Houston Rank Highest Among Global Cities

New data reveals that cities in Asia and the United States are the largest emitters of greenhouse gases, with Shanghai leading the list. Released on Friday, this information combines observations and artificial intelligence to assess emissions. The data was shared at the United Nations climate talks, where nations are setting new emission reduction targets and discussing financial support from wealthier countries.

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Climate Trace, an organisation co-founded by former US Vice President Al Gore, has quantified emissions from over 9,000 urban areas. It measures carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and other pollutants. The total global emissions of carbon dioxide and methane increased by 0.7% to 61.2 billion metric tons. Methane alone rose by 0.2%. According to Gavin McCormick, Climate Trace's co-founder, "because we have such comprehensive coverage and we have observed more emissions in more sectors than are typically available."

Focus on Major Polluters

Shanghai tops the list with 256 million metric tons of greenhouse gases, surpassing entire countries like Colombia or Norway. Tokyo follows with 250 million metric tons, which would place it among the top 40 nations if it were a country. New York City and Houston emit 160 million and 150 million metric tons respectively, ranking them in the top 50 for countrywide emissions. Seoul ranks fifth among cities with 142 million metric tons.

The data also highlights that seven states or provinces emit over 1 billion metric tons of greenhouse gases each year. All but one are in China; Texas ranks sixth globally. "One of the sites in the Permian Basin in Texas is by far the No. 1 worst polluting site in the entire world," Gore stated. He expressed surprise at this finding given the pollution levels in Russia and China.

Global Emission Trends

From 2022 to 2023, China, India, Iran, Indonesia, and Russia saw the largest increases in emissions. Conversely, Venezuela, Japan, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States experienced significant decreases. The dataset also examines traditional pollutants like carbon monoxide and sulfur dioxide. Burning fossil fuels releases both greenhouse gases and these traditional pollutants.

This comprehensive dataset is maintained by scientists and analysts from various groups. It provides a detailed look at air quality issues worldwide. Al Gore emphasised that this pollution "represents the single biggest health threat facing humanity." The findings underscore the urgent need for global cooperation to address climate change effectively.