When you start to analyse a few numbers you understand the complexity of climate change emissions reductions. You can see into some of the political spin when talking about individual nation’s agendas and also the often use of Per Capita Emissions to further complicate public and national opinion. As an example Australia claims broadly to have a contribution to global emissions in the range of 1.46% of global emissions, but then again there are only 22 million people out of over 6.5 billion making that contribution.

So what are some of the numbers and how do they stack up?

Here are the top six contributors on 2007 figures.

Coming in at number one on the greenhouse hot list is China

Total emissions                                     6.1b tonnes 

Population                                            1,327 million

Share of the world population               20%

Share of the world CO2                       21%

Per Capita CO2                                   4.6 tonnes

Emissions by sector

Power              50%

Transport         7%

Industry            28%

Buildings           6%

Other               9%

At number two we have the United States

Total emissions                                     5.7b tonnes

Population                                            306 million

Share of the world population               5%

Share of the world CO2                       20%

Per Capita CO2                                   18.7 tonnes

Emissions by sector

Power              43%

Transport         31%

Industry            8%

Buildings           9%

Other               8%

At number three is the European Union

Total emissions                                     3.9b tonnes

Population                                            496 million

Share of the world population               7%

Share of the world CO2                       13%

Per Capita CO2                                   7.8 tonnes

Emissions by sector

Power              37%

Transport         25%

Industry            13%

Buildings           15%

Other               10%

In fourth place we have the Russian Federation

Total emissions                                     1.6b tonnes

Population                                            142 million

Share of the world population               2%

Share of the world CO2                       5%

Per Capita CO2                                   11.1 tonnes

Emissions by sector

Power              55%

Transport         15%

Industry            12%

Buildings           9%

Other               9%

Coming in at fifth is India

Total emissions                                     1.3b tonnes

Population                                            1,123 million

Share of the world population               17%

Share of the world CO2                       5%

Per Capita CO2                                   1.2 tonnes

Emissions by sector

Power              56%

Transport         9%

Industry            18%

Buildings           8%

Other               8%

Picking up position number six is Japan

Total emissions                                     1.2b tonnes

Population                                            128 million

Share of the world population               2%

Share of the world CO2                       4%

Per Capita CO2                                   9.6 tonnes

Emissions by sector

Power              41%

Transport         19%

Industry            20%

Buildings           12%

Other               7%