None of the world’s top industries would be profitable if they paid the Environmental Cost !

Industry's cost to the Environment

Follow Population Alert on

• Home • Up • Big Oil is still spreading misinformation • Myths: RENEWABLES Versus Fossil Fuels • Industry's cost to the Environment • Methane Emission Increases in 2017 • CA's War on Suburbia • Attacking Road Development •
• •

None of the world’s top industries would be profitable if they paid the
Environmental Cost !

North American coal is up at number three.

Of the top 20 region-sectors ranked by environmental impacts,
none would be profitable if
environmental costs were fully integrated.
That is - None of the world’s top industrial sectors would be profitable if they were paying their full Environmental Cost.

That amounts to a Global Industrial System built on sleight of hand.

The biggest single environmental cost?
Greenhouse gases from coal burning in China.
The fifth biggest? Greenhouse gases from coal burning in North America.
This also shows what a
WASTE OF MONEY deforestation in South America is.
What’s Driving Deforestation Now?

The top 5 Environmental Impacts globally were:
1. Farming (food grouped)         $1.46 Trillion
2. Coal extraction & power gen. $1.01 Trillion
3. Cattle ranching and farming         $678.4 Billion
4. Petroleum and Natural Gas         $485.4 Billion
5. Water supply                             $433.20 Billion
The total Unpriced Natural Capital consumed by the more than 1,000 “global primary production and primary processing region-sectors”
amounts to $7.3 trillion a year —
13 percent of 2009 global GDP.

Second, surprising no one,
coal is the enemy of the human race.

The majority of
Environmental Capital Costs are from:

greenhouse gas emissions (38%),

water use (25%),

land use (24%),

air pollution (7%),

water pollution (5%),

waste (1%).

But the UNEP report makes clear that what’s going on today is more than a few accounting oversights.
The distance between today’s industrial systems and sustainable industrial systems is vast.
What’s needed is not just better accounting but a new global industrial reckoning, a new way of providing for human wellbeing, and fast. A revolution is required.

Estimated subsidies to Fossil Fuel Corps. worldwide are $5.3 trillion in 2015 (6.5% of global GDP in both years).

Undercharging for global warming accounts for 22% of the subsidy,
air pollution 46%,
broader vehicle externalities 13%,
supply costs 11%, and general consumer taxes 8%.
China was the biggest subsidizer ($1.8 trillion),
followed by the United States ($0.6 trillion), and Russia,
the European Union, and India (each with about $0.3 trillion).

Eliminating subsidies would have reduced global carbon emissions in 2013 by 21% and fossil fuel air pollution deaths 55%, while raising revenue of 4%, and social welfare by 2.2%, of global GDP.

IMPACT RATIO is from a recent report [PDF] done by environmental consultancy Trucost
on behalf of The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) program
sponsored by United Nations Environmental Program.
TEEB asked Trucost to tally up the total
“unpriced natural capital” consumed by the world’s top industrial sectors.
see the original

UN System of Environmental-Economic Accounting

TABLE 5: RANKING OF THE 100 REGION-SECTORS BY EKPIs WITH THE GREATEST IMPACT ACROSS ALL EKPIS

WHEN MEASURED IN MONETARY TERMS.

RANK	IMPACT	SECTOR	REGION	NATURAL CAPITAL COST, US$ BN	REVENUE, US$ BN	IMPACT RATIO
1	GHG	COAL POWER GENERATION	EASTERN ASIA	361.0	443.1	0.8
2	LAND USE	CATTLE RANCHING AND FARMING	SOUTH AMERICA	312.1	16.6	18.7
3	GHG	IRON AND STEEL MILLS	EASTERN ASIA	216.1	604.7	0.4
4	WATER	WHEAT FARMING	SOUTHERN ASIA	214.4	31.8	6.7
5	GHG	COAL POWER GENERATION	NORTHERN AMERICA	201.0	246.7	0.8
6	GHG	CEMENT MANUFACTURING	EASTERN ASIA	139.9	174.0	0.8
7	LAND USE	CATTLE RANCHING AND FARMING	SOUTHERN ASIA	131.4	5.8	22.6
8	WATER	RICE FARMING	SOUTHERN ASIA	123.7	65.8	1.9
9	AIR POLLUTANTS	COAL POWER GENERATION	NORTHERN AMERICA	113.4	246.7	0.5
10	WATER	WATER SUPPLY	SOUTHERN ASIA	92.0	14.1	6.5
11	WATER	WHEAT FARMING	NORTHERN AFRICA	89.6	7.4	12.2
12	AIR POLLUTANTS	COAL POWER GENERATION	EASTERN ASIA	88.3	443.1	0.2
13	WATER	RICE FARMING	NORTHERN AFRICA	82.3	1.2	68.0
14	LAND USE	RICE FARMING	SOUTHERN ASIA	81.8	65.8	1.2
15	WATER	WATER SUPPLY	WESTERN ASIA	81.7	18.4	4.4
16	LAND USE	FISHING	GLOBAL	80.0	136.0	0.6
17	WATER	CORN FARMING	NORTHERN AFRICA	79.3	1.7	47.2
18	WATER	WATER SUPPLY	NORTHERN AFRICA	73.7	3.4	21.4
19	GHG	PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS EXTRACTION	EASTERN EUROPE	71.6	371.6	0.2
20	WATER	SUGARCANE	SOUTHERN ASIA	63.3	6.0	10.5
21	GHG	NATURAL GAS POWER GENERATION	NORTHERN AMERICA	62.6	122.7	0.5
22	GHG	COAL POWER GENERATION	SOUTHERN ASIA	62.6	76.8	0.8
23	WATER	COTTON FARMING	SOUTHERN ASIA	58.7	9.7	6.1
24	LAND USE	RICE FARMING	SOUTH-EASTERN ASIA	55.3	41.0	1.3
25	GHG	COAL POWER GENERATION	EASTERN EUROPE	47.0	57.7	0.8
26	LAND USE	RICE FARMING	EASTERN ASIA	43.8	91.2	0.5
27	WATER	WATER SUPPLY	EASTERN ASIA	43.0	46.8	0.9
28	WATER	WHEAT FARMING	WESTERN ASIA	42.3	8.8	4.8
29	GHG	CATTLE RANCHING AND FARMING	SOUTH AMERICA	40.6	16.8	2.4
30	WATER	OTHER NON-CITRUS FRUIT FARMING	WESTERN ASIA	40.6	5.7	7.2
31	LAND USE	CATTLE RANCHING AND FARMING	EASTERN ASIA	37.7	10.2	3.7
32	WATER	OTHER NON-CITRUS FRUIT FARMING	SOUTHERN ASIA	37.0	29.5	1.3
33	LAND USE	CATTLE RANCHING AND FARMING	EASTERN AFRICA	36.6	2.3	15.9
34	WATER	OTHER VEGETABLE FARMING	NORTHERN AFRICA	35.6	8.8	4.0
35	WATER	OTHER NON-CITRUS FRUIT FARMING	NORTHERN AFRICA	34.5	7.2	4.8
36	GHG	PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS EXTRACTION	SOUTH AMERICA	34.2	58.6	0.6
37	GHG	NATURAL GAS POWER GENERATION	EASTERN EUROPE	34.2	67.0	0.5
38	WATER	WATER SUPPLY	NORTHERN AMERICA	33.5	85.0	0.4
39	GHG	COAL POWER GENERATION	WESTERN EUROPE	32.8	40.2	0.8
40	GHG	PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS EXTRACTION	SOUTHERN ASIA	32.4	143.1	0.2
41	WATER	SUGARCANE	NORTHERN AFRICA	32.3	0.8	38.7
42	LAND USE	CATTLE RANCHING AND FARMING	NORTHERN AMERICA	31.7	22.9	1.4
43	LAND AND WATER POLLUTANTS	RICE FARMING	EASTERN ASIA	31.3	91.2	0.3
44	GHG	PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS EXTRACTION	WESTERN ASIA	31.0	174.5	0.2
45	GHG	NATURAL GAS POWER GENERATION	EASTERN ASIA	29.3	57.4	0.5
46	GHG	CATTLE RANCHING AND FARMING	SOUTHERN ASIA	29.1	5.9	4.9
47	WATER	WATER SUPPLY	CENTRAL ASIA	28.6	1.1	26.2
48	LAND USE	SOYBEAN FARMING	SOUTH AMERICA	26.9	30.8	0.9
49	GHG	NATURAL GAS POWER GENERATION	WESTERN ASIA	26.5	52.0	0.5
50	LAND AND WATER POLLUTANTS	CORN RANCHING AND FARMING	NORTHERN AMERICA	25.0	50.1	0.5
51	LAND USE	CATTLE RANCHING AND FARMING	WESTERN AFRICA	24.8	1.6	15.8
52	LAND AND WATER POLLUTANTS	WHEAT FARMING	SOUTHERN ASIA	24.6	31.8	0.8
53	LAND USE	OTHER VEGETABLE FARMING	EASTERN ASIA	24.3	168.6	0.1
54	GHG	WATER SUPPLY	EASTERN ASIA	23.7	46.8	0.5
55	GHG	COAL POWER GENERATION	SOUTHERN AFRICA	23.6	29.0	0.8
56	GHG	CEMENT MANUFACTURING	SOUTHERN ASIA	23.4	29.1	0.8
57	GHG	PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS EXTRACTION	NORTHERN AFRICA	23.4	96.5	0.2
58	LAND USE	MILK (DAIRY) PRODUCTION	SOUTHERN ASIA	23.0	35.4	0.6
59	LAND USE	WHEAT FARMING	SOUTHERN ASIA	23.0	31.8	0.7
60	LAND USE	WHEAT FARMING	EASTERN EUROPE	22.4	15.2	1.5
61	LAND USE	LOGGING	EASTERN ASIA	21.7	47.7	0.5
62	LAND AND WATER POLLUTANTS	RICE FARMING	SOUTHERN ASIA	21.4	65.8	0.3
63	GHG	COAL POWER GENERATION	AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND	20.9	25.7	0.8
64	LAND USE	PALM OIL	SOUTH-EASTERN ASIA	20.5	8.7	2.4
65	GHG	PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS EXTRACTION	EASTERN ASIA	20.3	53.9	0.4
66	GHG	NATURAL GAS POWER GENERATION	SOUTHERN ASIA	20.1	39.3	0.5
67	GHG	WATER SUPPLY	SOUTHERN ASIA	19.6	14.1	1.4
68	GHG	WATER SUPPLY	NORTHERN AMERICA	19.1	85.0	0.2
69	GHG	NATURAL GAS POWER GENERATION	SOUTH-EASTERN ASIA	18.9	37.0	0.5
70	WATER	WATER SUPPLY	SOUTHERN EUROPE	18.3	19.9	0.9
71	GHG	NATURAL GAS POWER GENERATION	SOUTHERN EUROPE	18.0	35.2	0.5
72	GHG	COAL POWER GENERATION	SOUTHERN EUROPE	17.8	21.9	0.8
73	WATER	OTHER VEGETABLE FARMING	SOUTHERN ASIA	17.8	32.1	0.6
74	GHG	PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS EXTRACTION	NORTHERN AMERICA	17.7	441.9	0.0
75	GHG	PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS EXTRACTION	SOUTH-EASTERN ASIA	17.7	117.2	0.2
76	LAND USE	CATTLE RANCHING AND FARMING	AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND	17.3	3.4	5.2
77	LAND AND WATER POLLUTANTS	CORN FARMING	EASTERN ASIA	17.3	39.9	0.4
78	LAND USE	CATTLE RANCHING AND FARMING	SOUTH-EASTERN ASIA	17.1	3.0	5.6
79	WATER	TOMATOES	NORTHERN AFRICA	17.0	3.5	4.9
80	LAND USE	CORN FARMING	EASTERN ASIA	16.8	39.9	0.4
81	GHG	IRON AND STEEL MILLS	NORTHERN AMERICA	16.3	45.7	0.4
82	AIR POLLUTANTS	COAL POWER GENERATION	WESTERN EUROPE	16.1	40.2	0.4
83	LAND USE	CORN FARMING	NORTHERN AMERICA	16.1	50.1	0.3
84	GHG	COAL POWER GENERATION	SOUTH-EASTERN ASIA	16.1	19.7	0.8
85	LAND AND WATER POLLUTANTS	WHEAT FARMING	EASTERN ASIA	16.0	32.0	0.5
86	GHG	IRON AND STEEL MILLS	WESTERN EUROPE	15.5	43.3	0.4
87	GHG	SUGARCANE	SOUTH AMERICA	15.3	19.5	0.8
88	WATER	RICE FARMING	EASTERN ASIA	15.2	91.2	0.2
89	WATER	TREE NUT FARMING	SOUTHERN ASIA	15.2	4.9	3.1
90	GHG	COAL POWER GENERATION	NORTHERN EUROPE	15.0	18.4	0.8
91	WATER	COTTON FARMING	NORTHERN AFRICA	14.9	0.5	31.4
92	GHG	IRON AND STEEL MILLS	SOUTHERN ASIA	14.9	41.6	0.4
93	WATER	POTATO FARMING	NORTHERN AFRICA	14.6	3.7	3.9
94	LAND USE	LOGGING	EASTERN EUROPE	14.4	26.3	0.5
95	WASTE	NUCLEAR ELECTRIC POWER GENERATION	NORTHERN AMERICA	13.9	114.4	0.1
96	GHG	PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS EXTRACTION	CENTRAL AMERICA	13.9	29.1	0.5
97	WATER	WHEAT FARMING	EASTERN ASIA	13.8	32.0	0.4
98	LAND USE	DRY PEA AND BEAN FARMING	SOUTHERN ASIA	13.6	4.9	2.8
99	GHG	NATURAL GAS POWER GENERATION	WESTERN EUROPE	13.6	26.6	0.5
100	WATER	ORANGES	NORTHERN AFRICA	13.6	2.1	6.6