3 ms·

India, and large parts of China and Africa will be heavily impacted by climate change, far more than the US. India and China are already taking it very seriousl

India, and large parts of China and Africa will be heavily impacted by climate change, far more than the US. India and China are already taking it very seriously - building tons of renewable energy capacity, high taxes on fuel etc. And that's with the world's largest polluter (the US) not doing anything, and in fact denying there's even a problem. It would be better for everyone if everyone stops polluting. But rich countries, that are mostly in northern latitudes and less affected by climate change, aren't taking any action. So it makes sense for poor countries, largely in places affected by climate change, to try to develop faster by any means possible so they can better-handle the coming disaster. Whereas if rich countries take the problem seriously, add carbon taxes and tariffs and whatever other measures needed, they have moral, economic, legal, and even military levers against those who don't sign on. Poor countries can develop their economies with renewable energy and not worry as much about preparing for climate-fueled crises.

krageon 7y ago
Calling China poor or not northern is kind of a stretch and so is putting it on the same developmental level (even as a rhetorical device) as India.
Will_Parker 7y ago
> Whereas if rich countries take the problem seriously, add carbon taxes and tariffs and whatever other measures needed, they have moral, economic, legal, and even military levers against those who don't sign on. I think we're on the same page here. So an agreement between the USA and China would be an example of a great start, to get the rest of the world to follow suit. Let's frame the problem like that. Realistically this is not going to happen in time to make serious global change by 2030. So in the mean time, we're also going to need real talk about the specific effects of climate change, and how to adapt and mitigate as much as we can. We will be dealing with a global catastrophe, full stop. Pretending that isn't so isn't going to help the hundreds of millions of people now living near the margins of survival that will be tipped in the near future. Neither is framing the whole thing as a "choice" between the impossible and the inevitable. The fate of our great-great grandchildren is very much at stake though.

krageon 7y ago

Calling China poor or not northern is kind of a stretch and so is putting it on the same developmental level (even as a rhetorical device) as India.

Will_Parker 7y ago

> Whereas if rich countries take the problem seriously, add carbon taxes and tariffs and whatever other measures needed, they have moral, economic, legal, and even military levers against those who don't sign on. I think we're on the same page here. So an agreement between the USA and China would be an example of a great start, to get the rest of the world to follow suit. Let's frame the problem like that. Realistically this is not going to happen in time to make serious global change by 2030. So in the mean time, we're also going to need real talk about the specific effects of climate change, and how to adapt and mitigate as much as we can. We will be dealing with a global catastrophe, full stop. Pretending that isn't so isn't going to help the hundreds of millions of people now living near the margins of survival that will be tipped in the near future. Neither is framing the whole thing as a "choice" between the impossible and the inevitable. The fate of our great-great grandchildren is very much at stake though.