Yesterday's outburst by developing countries at Copenhagen bring up a question. Since Kyoto, the model for international agreements on climate change includes two parts: 1) Developed countries, aka Annex I countries in the Kyoto lingo, reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, and 2) give financial aid and technology to developing countries to limit their own emissions.
Why is this so? Two reasons. One is practical -Developing countries do not have the resources to change their energy sources. Without help to develop clean energy sources, they'll continue relying heavily on cheap coal. The second reason is moral. The developed world has emitted freely and widely on its way to economic dominance. Now that the consequences of this free for all have become painfully clear, the developing world is being told that the rules of the game have changed. Now, they have to cripple their economic growth efforts by eschewing the same quick and dirty technologies that have served us so well. No wonder they are crying, Foul!
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ReplyDeleteLouie,
ReplyDeleteGranted, our (U.S.) industrialized growth wreaked havoc on the environment. But, I have to think that at the time it was taking place, we had little intel as to the damage we were ultimately causing. Now that we know this, I would like to think that we are making inroads to better our behavior in the future. It pisses me off though that the Chinese among others feel that because we abused our environment therefore they are entitled to the same latitudes even in the face of mounting evidence that it is destroying our world. Gimme a break. They have the fastest growing economy, the money, and the resources to explore safer avenues to continue their growth. I’m sure of it. Yes!!!!, the rules have changed. This is their opportunity to start leading the way to making things right. If the developing world had known then what it knows now, I want to think that they would have found or developed concurrently, better and less eco-damaging alternatives to economic growth. The Chinese are being irresponsible.....
adrian
I think that the agreement for the cap and trade from developed contries to developing contries its a do or die treaty that came on a do or die moment, something like "forget about the money, run for your life"
ReplyDeletewww.myspace.com/marcko9