According to the Climate Institute/GE Low-Carbon Competitiveness Index released earlier this year, The US is not in the top ten. France leads the index, followed by Japan, China, South Korea and the UK. Since 2009 this index has been ranking G20 economies that are best prepared to compete in a low-carbon economy.
One of the most notable trends in this report comes from the strong representation of Asian nations. China is particularly notable as they moved from seventh place to third place. Thanks to the nation’s aggressive renewable energy initiatives, China is a low carbon global leader. Going forward China is expected to continue to be a leader in low-carbon and clean energy.
The US, which was eighth when the index began in 2009, has fallen to eleventh. This is the most significant drop among countries in the latest index update.
The US has fallen behind because of decreased private investment in sustainable energy. Low fuel prices may also be to blame. Fuel prices in the US rose less than most other G20 countries, this increased the amount of air freight and generated higher emissions per capita from the transport sector.
© 2013, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.
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