Copenhagen: What role for developing countries?
Do you believe developing nations should partake in solutions to tackle global warming? Is carbon trading a potential solution? Can an efficient system be worked out based on quotas? Are developed countries responsible for capacity building and providing developing countries with the means to reduce emissions?
From the many environmental problems now affecting the world – such as acid rain, air pollution, hazardous waste, ozone depletion, smog, water pollution, overpopulation, and deforestation – global warming has, over the last years, overshadowed the other issues.
Many of the environmental problems listed above are interconnected and many – in one way or another – contribute to the increase in greenhouse gases and thus to global warming. The main source of greenhouse gases is the human use of fossil fuels.
The upcoming summit on climate change in Copenhagen aims to reach a binding commitment by all parties concerned to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions on a global level. It is understood that a problem of global dimensions demands global solutions… Nevertheless, the prevalent pre-summit debates and discussions seem increasingly focused on “who” should be shouldering the main share of the burden.
More often than not that discussion is further reduced to searching for those “that are most to blame” and should therefore assume more responsibility in fixing the problem. In turns this roughly comes down to the “developed” versus “developing” world…
Whereas countries such as India and China are accepting by and large to play their part, many developing nations have fiercely resisted the equal sharing of responsibility between developed and developing nations. Their argument is based on the fact that now-developed nations created the problem in the first place and should take the responsibility to ensure the consequent clean-up.
Furthermore currently developing countries do not have the same means to tackle the issues at hand. Adapting production methods and generally reducing carbon emissions is costly and can negatively affect productivity and all-round competitiveness. India, amongst others, is a staunch supporter of a system in which developed nations provide financial support for adaptation in developing countries.
So what is your view on this?
Do you believe developing nations should partake in solutions to tackle global warming? Is carbon trading a potential solution? Can an efficient system be worked out based on quotas? Are developed countries responsible for capacity building and providing developing countries with the means to reduce emissions?
Background Reading
- “How do I know China wrecked the Copenhagen deal? I was in the room“, The Guardian, 22 December 2009
- “Study: For Consumers, Green Is Greenwash“, The New York Times, 30 April 2009
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Another glorified Kyoto protocol
Again the focus is going to shift from the matter at hand, the issue is not who is to blame but rather what can be done for the common cause or purpose. At the end of the day the capitalist ideology is going to win, every country is looking out for its own prospects in this climate deal, nothing the developed countries are going to say, is going to stick with the less developed nations, unless it involves monetary compensation. And that is the general point of departure.
Honestly, all I see, is another glorified Kyoto protocol, indeed Copenhagen will be significant but it will not be decisive. Developing countries are unfortunately seeing this as an opportunity to gain more funding or aid from the wealthier nations. Without a doubt developing nations will need assistance in developing infrastructure to facilitate green policies. But the question is, will the funding be utilised as it is supposed to be?
But in a world where every commodity is linked to a particular resource that is linked to more than one economy, developing countries would essence be to blame, as the resources used by developed nations is mined and harvested from the developing nations, these nations are to blame as the foster the demand with the supply, and by ultimately producing access resources fuelling this pandemic of consumerism. The less there is of something. The more we make do with what we have. Now we are living in a time where more is produced for no reason at all.
In truth, looking retrospectively into history, humanity has always taken a leap forward in the face of adversity. I see climate change happening and affecting the developing nations the most, and it will only be then when nations start acting towards climate adaptation. And not mitigation nor reduction. And that’s where root of all problems lie when people in general react rather than being proactive. Climate change is not a new subject and has been spoken of for more than 20years but we chose to overlook it and reckon with it now, in the face of its fury. We look at HIV/AIDS, we look at natural resource consumption, we even look at the recent economic meltdown, and I ask why would climate change be any different?
We all know that a deal will be made regardless of who is on agrees to its terms or not, but then the question of enforcement comes into play. In December the deal that is yet to be struck. Should encompass the contraction and convergence theory with no alterations or modifications. The more the deal is amended to suit everyone the less of an impact it will have, but then again another Kyoto protocol scenario is at hand.
“A global call for humanity”
Hello! An environmentalist on the line, can you link me to humanity? Thank you!
In times like these when our planet is boiling under the glass of greenhouse and is facing many more environmental issues there is no room for excuses, blame or not accepting the responsibilities. Global warming is responsibility of every man on earth. Yes, your, mine, everyone’s no matter do we come from developed or developing country. Everyday we cause the Earth some harm on purpose or by just being careless. By changing our habits we can protect the earth. We can be the change we want to see. So my first point will be on personal responsibility.
When it comes to developed and developing countries I believe that responsibility must be shared. This problem world needs to face as one. It is not true that developed states with their industries are the only ones to blame. In developing countries old technologies and infrastructure in industry lead to high emissions and there is a huge number of old vehicles on the roads that cause enormous pollution every day and a high level of land filling as a waste disposal treatment must be mentioned. There are no or few environmental laws and the level of education in environmentalism is low just as the awareness among people.
An efficient system to fight global warming should include finding of global funds for environmentalism, creation of common policies, sharing of new technologies and experiences, wide spread global campaigns, alternative solutions for those countries whose economies depend on environmentally harmful industries and many more things. The key to the problem is working together, collide, sacrifice, be prepared to loose a bit in order to gain a lot. Environmental benefits over personal gain.
In the end developed countries must not underestimate the capability of developing countries to face the problem. Even small efforts should be appreciated and further encouragement should exist, leaving behind must not be the case. EU may be the spark but the “green fire” needs to be spread all over the world.
Involvement of developing countries is inevitable
The developing countries like China, India, Brazil and Russia possess giant industries that produce a large amount of harmful emissions and poisonous gases to the environment. Although the developed countries have an experience and a technological capacity to reduce and mitigate the negative emissions of the their industries, the developing world lacks such kind of technological potential and means in order to achieve an environmental friendly development of their economies. Also, it’s important to note that sometimes the developing countries aren’t willing to eliminate the negative externalities of their productions, even though they are aware of the harmful consequences of emissions and gases for the entire environment and global pollution.
I think that the developing countries should definitely be involved in tackling the global warming and environmental protection. First, as I mentioned, developing counties like China, India and Brazil have big economies and they are expected to develop with a growing speed in the foreseeable future and the economies of developing world don’t function on the basis of an economically friendly approach. Eventually, the economies of the developing world will continue to “contribute” to the exacerbation of environmental pollution and global warming in the world. Second, the developed countries can’t tackle global warming alone ignoring the negative influence of giant economies of developing world that are supplying harmful emissions to the atmosphere. Therefore, the joint approach and efforts must be achieved to tackle global warming and environmental protection. To my viewpoint, involvement of developing countries in tacking global warming is inevitable.
Simultaneously, I think that the developing countries must express their willingness and solidarity to participate in dealing with global warming and the developed countries in their turn should provide the means and capacity building for the developing countries in terms of reducing harmful emissions and achieving a vision for sustainable economic development.
Emission, responsibility for whom…?
Pollution is one of the highest risks of our future. Therefore, we can ask the question, who is responsible for the damage? The ‘idea of sharing of responsibility between developed and developing countries’ sounds me quite unrealistic as the developing nations do not have the same background and means as the developed. Hence the reason why these nations cannot fulfil those requirements, that the developed nations can allow.
The developing countries have to face diseases, malnutrition, social and economic difficulties; there is a long list of problems they have to tackle. Therefore, pollution and carbon dioxide emission is on the bottom of this list. They do not have the same means to fight against pollution and reduce emission if it means the decline of productivity. They simply cannot afford lower emission rates. On the other hand, the developed countries can also be blamed for this situation. They are not interested in equal sharing and responsibility as these countries provide them cheaper labour and cost of production, the rules are less strict and it worth producing there. It is also important to mention the sale of CO2 quotas. Until the developed countries purchase the emission quotas of the less developed ones, we cannot talk about equal responsibility as it is not the interest of any sides.
As I see it, a certain level of development and social security is required to deal with this problem. All in all, I think the role of developing countries in the question of emission demands not only global dimensions and solutions but also global diplomatic cooperation and understanding.