# Can you guess....name the top 10 worst polluting countries in the world today **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 23, 2017, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-guess-name-the-top-10-worst-polluting-countries-in-the-world-today/787301 "2017-05-23T20:28:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2017, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-guess-name-the-top-10-worst-polluting-countries-in-the-world-today/787301/1 "2017-05-23T20:28:11Z")
I was watching [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-DcwP1-ncU) video earlier today and there were a few surprises on there, for me at least (I had the top 3, and probably 6 out of 10 of the list before watching). Can you 'dopers guess the top 10 without doing a search or watching the video? Which countries do you expect to make the top 10? Or, how about the top 5? Answers in the spoiler box for anyone who doesn’t want to watch the video. [spoiler]10. Canada (557 mtCO2 emitted per year) 9. South Korea (592 mtCO2 emitted per year) 8. Saudi Arabia (601 mtCO2 emitted per year) 7. Iran (648 mtCO2 emitted per year) 6. Germany (798 mtCO2 emitted per year) 5. Japan (1,237 mtCO2 emitted per year) 4. Russian Federation (1,617 mtCO2 emitted per year) 3. India (2,274 mtCO2 emitted per year) 2. USA (5,414 mtCO2 emitted per year) 1. China (10,357 mtCO2 emitted per year) [/spoiler] ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2017, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-guess-name-the-top-10-worst-polluting-countries-in-the-world-today/787301/2 "2017-05-23T20:36:55Z")
Hah, I guessed 1-4 correctly. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2017, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-guess-name-the-top-10-worst-polluting-countries-in-the-world-today/787301/3 "2017-05-23T20:42:59Z")
Well let’s define polluting? For your average joe, when you say polluting, the assumption is that the company etc. is violating some permit or law on emissions. But that’s not the case. As noted in the spoiler box it’s mtC02 per year. So it’s not surprising that the most populated countries are going to be the largest polluters, and the largest industrial companies are going to be some of the largest polluters as defined, even though the emissions are legal and within permitted amounts. Companies/countries that produce energy, convert commodities, etc. are going to be your biggest legal polluters. So people that complain about polluters shouldn’t use electricity, gasoline, or paper; eat beef, chicken, or pork; etc. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2017, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-guess-name-the-top-10-worst-polluting-countries-in-the-world-today/787301/4 "2017-05-23T20:44:11Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > For your average joe, when you say polluting, the assumption is that the company etc. is violating some permit or law on emissions. Why would that be the assumption? No one I know thinks polluting is something that is only done illegally. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2017, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-guess-name-the-top-10-worst-polluting-countries-in-the-world-today/787301/5 "2017-05-23T20:47:18Z")
[QUOTE=Omar Little] Well let’s define polluting? For your average joe, when you say polluting, the assumption is that the company etc. is violating some permit or law on emissions. But that’s not the case. [/QUOTE] Didn’t realize there would be any confusion…I figured that’s what they were talking about (as you noted, CO2 emissions are the gauge they are using, though they mention other stuff too) before I watched the video and based my own top 10 on that. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2017, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-guess-name-the-top-10-worst-polluting-countries-in-the-world-today/787301/6 "2017-05-23T20:51:38Z")
Is “legal” pollution safer and easier to breathe than “illegal” pollution? ---
**Author:** ![Calatin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/439d5e/32.png) [@Calatin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Calatin)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2017, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-guess-name-the-top-10-worst-polluting-countries-in-the-world-today/787301/7 "2017-05-23T20:58:55Z")
#6 surprised me for some reason, but upon thinking about it, I guess it makes sense. ---
**Author:** ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2017, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-guess-name-the-top-10-worst-polluting-countries-in-the-world-today/787301/8 "2017-05-23T21:00:47Z")
> [@XT](#): > > I was watching [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-DcwP1-ncU) video earlier today and there were a few surprises on there, for me at least (I had the top 3, and probably 6 out of 10 of the list before watching). Can you 'dopers guess the top 10 without doing a search or watching the video? Which countries do you expect to make the top 10? Or, how about the top 5? I don’t think this is a really fair comparison to make. Let’s say that the amount of steel the US uses each year requires the emission of 1,000 mtCO2. If we import that steel from China then that 1,000 mtCO2 counts against them and not us. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2017, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-guess-name-the-top-10-worst-polluting-countries-in-the-world-today/787301/9 "2017-05-23T21:04:39Z")
> [@treis](#): > > I don’t think this is a really fair comparison to make. Let’s say that the amount of steel the US uses each year requires the emission of 1,000 mtCO2. If we import that steel from China then that 1,000 mtCO2 counts against them and not us. It’s not supposed to be a ‘fair’ comparison…it’s simply a comparison of what they emit, not trying to see who has the moral high ground or whatever. The REASON why China is on the top 10 is simply that they emit more than countries that aren’t, without regard to why they do so. The US, as you noted, is also on the list for similar reasons (as are all of the other countries that made the list)…we make stuff and our people use electricity in large amounts and drive cars. So, this makes it easier for those who might still be guessing…the US and China are on the list. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![somepumpkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7feea3/32.png) [@somepumpkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/somepumpkin)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2017, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-guess-name-the-top-10-worst-polluting-countries-in-the-world-today/787301/10 "2017-05-23T21:15:50Z")
I’ve not clicked yet and I’m curious how they’ve defined “polluting”. I’ll still guess the USA is up there in the top 3. I’m basing that on our size and our consumption. Additionally, our miles of coastline. …Now that I’ve clicked, it seems to be defined as CO2 emissions. Though Japan being mentioned didn’t surprise me, #9 on the list did. Silly me. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2017, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-guess-name-the-top-10-worst-polluting-countries-in-the-world-today/787301/11 "2017-05-23T21:21:44Z")
> [@somepumpkin](#): > > I’ve not clicked yet and I’m curious how they’ve defined “polluting”. I’ll still guess the USA is up there in the top 3. I’m basing that on our size and our consumption. Additionally, our miles of coastline. > > …Now that I’ve clicked, it seems to be defined as CO2 emissions. Though Japan being mentioned didn’t surprise me, #9 on the list did. Silly me. I actually missed 7-10…none of them were ones I thought of. 10 especially, to me, was a bit of a surprise, though in hindsight it shouldn’t have been. I had the order a bit off on the others but had them all on my list. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2017, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-guess-name-the-top-10-worst-polluting-countries-in-the-world-today/787301/12 "2017-05-23T21:26:04Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > Well let’s define polluting? For your average joe, when you say polluting, the assumption is that the company etc. is violating some permit or law on emissions. I’d argue that for the average joe, when you say polluting, they think not of CO2, which will fuck up the planet years from now - but of things that will make you sick _today_, like PM[sub]2.5,[/sub] NO[sub]x[/sub], ground-level ozone, VOCs. And the legality of the pollution wouldn’t necessarily enter into the average joe’s mind. If we go with those pollutants, and measure on a per-capita basis, I’ll wager the list looks very different. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2017, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-guess-name-the-top-10-worst-polluting-countries-in-the-world-today/787301/13 "2017-05-23T21:28:40Z")
Part of what that’s measuring is simply size. The bigger and more populous a country is, the more of just about _anything_ you’d expect it to do, including polluting (however you measure it). Wouldn’t it be more meaningful to know something like emissions _per capita_? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2017, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-guess-name-the-top-10-worst-polluting-countries-in-the-world-today/787301/14 "2017-05-23T21:31:42Z")
It might be more meaningful to see a per-capita list. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2017, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-guess-name-the-top-10-worst-polluting-countries-in-the-world-today/787301/15 "2017-05-23T21:36:51Z")
Per capita? Try the third graph [in this pile of info.](https://wri.org/blog/2014/11/6-graphs-explain-world%E2%80%99s-top-10-emitters) ---
**Author:** ![somepumpkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7feea3/32.png) [@somepumpkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/somepumpkin)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2017, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-guess-name-the-top-10-worst-polluting-countries-in-the-world-today/787301/16 "2017-05-23T21:43:39Z")
> [@XT](#): > > I actually missed 7-10…none of them were ones I thought of. 10 especially, to me, was a bit of a surprise, though in hindsight it shouldn’t have been. I had the order a bit off on the others but had them all on my list. My first ideas were of poorer countries. After a second thought I realized it would probably be tied to consumption. I’m marginally curious how the list would look based on a different metric. (Rhetorically) Stick with air pollution, but let’s look at particles… or SO2. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2017, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-guess-name-the-top-10-worst-polluting-countries-in-the-world-today/787301/17 "2017-05-23T21:48:22Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Per capita? Try the third graph [in this pile of info.](https://wri.org/blog/2014/11/6-graphs-explain-world%E2%80%99s-top-10-emitters) Thanks for that. Not that I’m complaining, but that’s an article from 2014 which IIUC shows data from 2011. I can’t help wondering how/whether those emissions levels have been changing over the past few years. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2017, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-guess-name-the-top-10-worst-polluting-countries-in-the-world-today/787301/18 "2017-05-23T21:53:49Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Per capita? Try the third graph [in this pile of info.](https://wri.org/blog/2014/11/6-graphs-explain-world%E2%80%99s-top-10-emitters) Wow, why is Canada so high? Home heating during long shitty winters? Something about petroleum production from the Athabasca tar sands? The fourth graph (CO2 emissions divided by GDP) is also very interesting. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2017, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-guess-name-the-top-10-worst-polluting-countries-in-the-world-today/787301/19 "2017-05-23T21:55:41Z")
Well, Ontario, the most populous province in Canada, has shut down all coal-fired electricity plants, for one. So, I’m sure our footprint is different today than in 2011. ETA: And of course, long cold winters suck. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2017, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-guess-name-the-top-10-worst-polluting-countries-in-the-world-today/787301/20 "2017-05-23T22:09:05Z")
Guess: US China India Japan Germany No idea about the other 5. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-guess-name-the-top-10-worst-polluting-countries-in-the-world-today/787301.md?page=2)