What is it about?
In the global effort to combat the climate crisis, we often focus on the emissions produced within a country's own borders. However, international trade shifts the environmental burden of production from the consumer to the producer. This study investigates how the world’s two largest economies—China and the United States (the "G-2")—shape the carbon footprints of the 181 nations that export goods to them.
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Why is it important?
Our work shifts the perspective from the traditional "Global North-South" divide to the modern "G-2" era—a period where the global economy and environment are increasingly dominated by the U.S. and China. Together, these two superpowers now account for over 45% of annual global carbon emissions, making it critical to understand how their trade demand shapes the climate trajectories of the rest of the world.
Perspectives
I hope this work provokes a more honest conversation about climate justice by highlighting how the world’s two largest superpowers—the U.S. and China—not only produce massive emissions at home but also drive the environmental burden for the nations that supply them. By identifying these dynamics, we provide the evidence needed for fairer international policies and a clearer understanding of the environmental responsibilities shared between trading partners.
Taekyeong Goh
University of British Columbia
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: G-2 and the climate crisis: How global exports to China and the U.S. drive carbon emissions, 2000–2022, PLOS Climate, January 2026, PLOS,
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pclm.0000774.
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