It's Our Move

The U.S. govt has been saying that we will not agree to binding restrictions on green house gas emissions to address global climate change until China does so too.  Even tho we in the U.S. still generate five times more carbon emissions per capita than people in China, our govt had been arguing that it wasn't fair that China should get an "out" in the Kyoto Protocols.  

To some extent there is truth to that.  Even tho we generate far more carbon waste per capita, as a nation China has now surpassing the U.S. as the number one polluter.  (There are some things where one doesn't want to be number one.)  Fairness aside for the moment, 1.3 billion Chinese cannot live like us Americans.  The world just can't take it.

But there is also a reason why the Kyoto Protocol made exceptions for developing nations such as China and India and others, and it's not because the liberals at the UN hates the U.S.  We in the West, especially in the U.S., with our suburban houses with two-car garages, our central ac/heat, fancy flat-panel tvs and kitchen gadgets and washer/dryers and high-speed internet... We cannot with any moral authority tell other countries that they can't have what we have as long as we continue to demand it for ourselves.  It's simply not fair.

So if we are to ask China to step up and take on its share of the responsibility for global climate change, we must too.  And we must lead, instead of saying "Well I'll do it if you do it first."  Time is running out.

Forum Activity

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 08:11
Mon, 06/16/2014 - 07:09
Tue, 10/01/2013 - 22:01

Miscellania

wizdUUm.net is made possible in part by generous support from the Fahs Collaborative

Find us on Mastodon.