Alternative title: Climate Goals a Threat to China Expansion
(also to India and other countries)
And I find this troubling. On what moral authority the west think it is ok to kick the ladder?
(also to India and other countries)
And I find this troubling. On what moral authority the west think it is ok to kick the ladder?
Climate change is a problem, and we have to deal with it, but the west blaming India and China when the US has the largest emission per capita by a mile and more is not going to get us anywhere.
[0] https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trade-india-wto/india...
What I think is often missing though is considering how we are contributing to the co2 output of those developing countries. A big share of their power demands is through production of goods for pretty much the rest of the world. It really grinds my gears how so many people suggest we can completely ignore that we are creating that demand in the first place, exploiting cheap production costs in China, which is in part because regulations regarding pollution are so lax over there, while at the same time patting ourselves on the back for reducing co2 output here, when you really just move more and more production to other counties.
And I don't have a good idea how to fix this either. Clearly, consumers don't care enough to vote with their money, or pressure local politicians. But turning a blind eye on our contribution entirely and conveniently pointing out how China is so horrible and we're so great isn't going to fix anything either.
Most of the West doesn't think it is OK to kick the ladder. That's why the Paris agreement included the developed countries providing a lot of aid to countries like India to help them meet climate goals without having to give up on development.