How much harm does each of us do?

Abstract

This chapter attempts to estimate the amount of harm an average American does by her emissions of greenhouse gas, on the basis of recent very detailed statistical analysis being done by a group of economists. It concentrates on the particular harm of shortening people’s lives. The estimate is very tentative, and it varies greatly according to how effectively the world responds to climate change. If the response is very weak, the author estimates that an average American’s emissions shorten lives by six or seven years in total. If the response is moderately strong, the figure is about half a year.