The Age makes Australia the "world's worst polluter"

This is a clever trick. By using per capita figures, The Age tries to make us all feel guilty (and therefore ram home the point that we should "tackle climate change" and pass emissions trading legislation), despite the fact that Australia emits less than 1.5% of global emissions.

AUSTRALIA has the world's highest per capita carbon dioxide emissions from energy use, according to a British analysis.

The CO2 Energy Emissions Index, released by risk assessment company Maplecroft, found Australia's overwhelmingly coal-based electricity supply meant the average person emitted 20.58 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year.

Australia overtook the US - responsible for 19.78 tonnes per head - as the worst per capita emitter.

Canada was third, followed by the Netherlands and Saudi Arabia.

But what about the following countries, which are never mentioned?

• Qatar
• United Arab Emirates
• Kuwait
• Bahrain
• Aruba
• Luxembourg
• Netherlands Antilles

All have higher per capita emissions (Qatar in 2006 was 56.2 tonnes per capita!), but The Age strangely doesn't pick a fight with them, but dumps on its own doorstep instead.

Read it here.