although not per capita , which is more important meterThat is because a large portion of their land area and population lives in rural poverty and doesn ' t utilize basic infrastructure . The country still has villages without running water . Percapita emissions are important , but China ' s percapita emissions being low isn ' t really something you can take at face value . Their attempts at hydroelectric power have been pretty hugely destructive to the environment , displaced tons of people a necessary sacrifice sure , and poor management postconstruction has resulted in enormous destruction during emergencies that are extremely plannable . It ' s good that they ' re working on doing something while the US sits here with its thumb up its butt , but the praise they deserve is fairly limited while their emissions continue to grow and they make money hand over fist .