December 12, 2010
Cancun carbon footprint by the numbers
If the Klimate Kooks had their way, we'd all be freezing or roasting to death just so that they can live life high on the hog. For when it comes to leaving a carbon footprint, the delegates to the Cancun climate summit wear some mighty big shoes:
The meeting's carbon footprint was 25,000 metric tons of emissions, according to host nation Mexico. That includes the carbon output of everything - flights by delegates, shuttle rides from the swanky Moon Palace hotel, even food preparation. Here's a breakdown of the numbers:25 heads of state attended.
2,457 air-conditioned rooms with double Jacuzzis at the main conference hotel.
$68 million
paid by the Mexican government to host the conference. The Danish government put up $213 million last year.
350
days of the year that had unsafe air quality in Mexico City in the early 1990s. Now it's unsafe less than half that time.
7 million
the amount in metric tons that Mexico City's ambitious "Plan Verde" aims to reduce from vehicle emissions by 2012.