What to do about rapidly developing nations... | Use Celsias.com

I think it's great that we're now moving towards a position where governments are seeing the need for a consolidated approach to addressing global warming. However, what should we do about those guys who don't want to play ball?

Of course they have their own, shorter term interests in mind (making hay while the sun shines in financial terms... and why shouldn't they want to?) but how do we marry this up with the fact that these are the guys who are producing co2 at an exponential rate? We can't just tell them to stop improving their citizen's lives, but then again we can't watch them undo everyone else's hard work... thoughts?

In June 2008 in Clean Technologies, Climate Change, Consumerism, Finance, Industry, Philosophy & Religion, Politics, Population

4 replies

Chris A. 29°

It's a hard balance - you don't want to be seen as "big brother"ish if you know what I mean.

Written in June 2008

Chris A. 29°

It's a hard balance - you don't want to be seen as "big brother"ish if you know what I mean.

Written in June 2008

C Robb W. 400°

Contraction and Convergence allows the developing nations to continue to develop along a rational timeline while the developed world begins to reduce it's emissions much more rapidly. The US has been the largest emitter for a century, they, therefore, have the greatest responsibility to reduce. China and India will only "play ball" if they see the developed world on the pitch as well. It's time for some real leadership from the US. Perhaps we'll get it in November?

Written in June 2008

Charles M. 45°

Look in the mirror and try say pose that question with a straight face.

On a personal level, the average westerner is polluting at many times the level of a person in a developing nation.

Does it make sense to say: "It is OK for me to consume 5 resource units. The real problem are the 6 people over there each consuming 1 unit. In 5 years time they will each be consuming 2 units and I will only be consuming 6 units".

Written in June 2008

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