Which country is the worst carbon polluter? It's complicated. The Economist breaks it down.

You may have heard that China is the world's biggest emitter of carbon dioxide, the gas blamed for much of the human contribution to climate change. India is not far behind. If you are not in China or India and this makes you feel a bit smug, The Economist wants you to get a better grasp of the situation, especially if you live in the U.S. or Europe. The first issue is that China and India have much larger populations than the U.S. and Europe — so per capita carbon consumption is still much higher in the West — but that's only the tip of the (melting) iceberg.

In a series of charts, The Economist explains why understanding these issues matters, and why world leaders are feeling the urgency to act as they gather in Paris this week to try and forge a new global climate change pact. If India and China reach the European level of carbon consumption, "the Earth is in trouble," The Economist says. "If they get anywhere near the American level, the planet is toast." Watch the video below. Peter Weber

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up