Two Worlds

TWO WORLDS

Cause and Effect

The countries that have emitted the most greenhouse gases—those that have played a larger role in causing the climate crisis—tend to be least vulnerable to its impacts. Conversely, the countries with the lowest emissions—those that have contributed least to global warming—are already most ravaged by the crisis and most vulnerable to it going forward.

CUMULATIVE EMISSIONS

This map, based on work by Global Carbon Budget, shows each country's share of all carbon emissions since the Industrial Revolution. While there are about 200 countries in the world, only one falls into the highest emissions category of 15-25%: the US, which is responsible for more than 24% of total carbon emissions.

CLIMATE VULNERABILITY

This map, based on work by the University of Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative, shows how vulnerable every country is to the harmful impacts of climate change, including extreme weather events, wildfires, floods, droughts, and sea level rise. It also captures countries' ability to respond. Sudan, Haiti, and Bangladesh are among the most vulnerable. What countries are least so?

• Sources

  Cumulative global emissions
  Our World in Data: Share of global cumulative CO2 emissions, 2021

  Vulnerability by country
  University of Notre Dame: ND-GAIN Country Index

• Further Reading

  NYT: Who Has the Most Historical Responsibility for Climate Change?

  PBS: Many of the world’s poorest countries are the least polluting but the most climate-vulnerable. Here’s what they want at COP27

  LA Times: Editorial: Wealthy countries are responsible for climate change, but it's the poor who will suffer most

  Carbon Brief: Revealed: How colonial rule radically shifts historical responsibility for climate change