This figure shows the disparity in fossil fuel consumption per capita for the countries with the twenty largest populations. The large range of variation is indicative of the separation between the rich, industrialized nations and the poor/developing nations. The global average is also shown.
As most countries desire wealth and aim to develop that wealth through the development of industry, this figure suggests the degree to which poor nations may strive to increase their emissions in the course of trying to match the industrial capacity of the developed world. Managing such increases and dealing with the apparent social inequality of the present system will be one of the challenges involved in confronting global warming.
