A close analysis of greenhouse gas emissions by the industrial sector is vital for designing energy-saving and clean energy policies. But emission figures are closely guarded by industry and are largely unavailable for public scrutiny. Governments send wrong signals Government policies strongly influence energy use. By subsidising energy exploration and production, keeping gasoline taxes low and promoting urban sprawl, governments send signals to industry and to consumers that more production and consumption of energy is a good thing. Oil-producing countries are much more likely to encourage high production and consumption.
Governments also encourage unsustainable logging practices.
Nowhere is this more evident than in the Amazon basin, where for decades heavily subsidised land grabs have been directly supported by Brazilian administrations. The transport sector deserves special mention because of its effect on human health and other harmful impacts such as noise, congestion and the use of land for building roads. The cost of the car-based culture is much greater than simply the money spent in buying and running the car. The car culture will continue to wreck havoc on the planet and its people unless the price of car travel is increased to reflect these costs and adequate alternatives such as public transport are provided. China has as many cars as Denmark, but China's population is 200 times greater.