Climate Change: Developed v Developing States Flashcards
arguments suggesting that developed states should bear the greatest burden in tackling climate change
developed states were the earliest to industrialise, and they have therefore produced a greater share of greenhouse gases
developed states have the means to tackle climate change most effectively seeing as they are the wealthiest and most prosperous states
unequal climate change has been largely caused by developed states, so should be fixed by them
arguments suggesting that developed states should NOT bear the greatest burden in tackling climate change
developed states cannot be held responsible for pollution produced in the past, when no one knew this would cause global warming, reduction targets should be set according to current rather than historical levels of emissions
climate change denial in developed states often prevents them from taking necessary steps to tackle climate change, so arguably this role falls to developing and emerging states
climate change affects developing states more, it is their responsibility to tackle it
developed states were the earliest to industrialise, and they have therefore produced a greater share of greenhouse gases
there are disputes between developed and developing states about how far they are responsible or should take action over environmental issues
the disagreements over responsibility for climate change provide another significant obstacle to international co-operation on the environment
scientific evidence suggests that global warming is caused by greenhouse gases, which are the by-products of burning fossil fuels
the consumption of fossil fuels began in the late-18th century with the Industrial Revolution
countries industrialised at different rates and some countries in the developing world are still industrialising, but the developed states were the earliest to industrialise, and they have therefore produced a greater share of greenhouse gases
for example, in the 1990s, the USA produced about 25% of the world’s total carbon-dioxide emissions, compared to China’s 14%, despite the fact that the American population accounted for less than 5% of the total world population while China’s accounted for 20%
therefore, it would seem right that developed states should bear greater responsibility for the reduction in carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide levels, especially when they have had longer to enjoy the benefits of industrialisation
this has been used as an argument by developing states to suggest that developed states are more responsible for climate change and should therefore take more action themselves, which has prevented international cooperation on the environment because many developing states have refused to cooperate unless the developed states take more responsibility
for example, in the 1990s, China argued that it should not accept emissions targets because, as a developing country, it was not responsible for the damage done by other countries industrialising earlier
in its submission to the Paris climate change conference, India estimated that it was responsible for only 3% of historic cumulative emissions
China the EU Japan Russia and the US together have been responsible for 2/3 of the worlds historic carbon dioxide emissions
developed states cannot be held responsible for pollution produced in the past, when no one knew this would cause global warming, reduction targets should be set according to current rather than historical levels of emissions
the principle of ‘common but differentiated responsibilities’ – which places the responsibility on developed states to commit to greater reductions in greenhouse-gas emissions and to provide financial support to developing states to help them achieve reductions – is highly contentious and has prevented international cooperation
developed states argue that they cannot be held responsible for pollution produced in the past, when no one knew this would cause global warming
they argue that reduction targets should be set according to current rather than historical levels of emissions
for instance, the US may produce four times more greenhouse gas emissions per capita than China, but overall China is now producing the highest levels of emissions: 29% to America’s 16%
successive US administrations have disputed the fairness of targets based on per-capita measures, claiming that targeting the highest polluters would do more to combat climate change
this is yet another area of disagreement between developed and developing states that has made international cooperation on the environment hard to achieve, as seen in how the US initially agreed to binding targets at Kyoto in 1997, but revoked its signature, arguing that China had become the greatest net emissions producer, so it was unfair to expect the USA to make reductions when other countries were causing more damage to the environment
emissions in developed states or stable whereas those in developing states are increasing rapidly
for example scientists estimate that if India’s economic growth continues at the rate of 8.5% per year it’s emissions will soon reach 1/5 of the total world emissions
developing states emissions are currently increasing and will continue to do so if no action is taken
developed states have the means to tackle climate change most effectively seeing as they are the wealthiest and most prosperous states
developed states have the means to tackle climate change most effectively seeing as they are the wealthiest and most prosperous states
they have the greatest means to, whereas developing states do not
any requirement for developing states to reduce emissions would jeopardise their much-needed economic growth
developing states still have large populations living in poverty
industrialisation and development through the use of carbon energy always reducing poverty with expanding industry providing jobs and better wages
in recognition of such concerns about equity and fairness, the principle of ‘common but differentiated responsibilities’ was enshrined in the 1992 Framework Convention on Climate Change
this places the responsibility on developed states to commit to greater reductions in greenhouse-gas emissions and to provide financial support to developing states to help them achieve reductions
climate change denial in developed states often prevents them from taking necessary steps to tackle climate change, so arguably this role falls to developing and emerging states
climate change denial in developed states often prevents them from taking necessary steps to tackle climate change, so arguably this role falls to developing and emerging states
climate change denial is a less tangible obstacle to agreement on tackling climate change, but nonetheless a factor that causes states to be reluctant in taking effective action
there is a significant lobby, especially in the USA, that challenges the science of climate change
the fossil fuel industry and right-wing libertarian think tanks sponsor scientists who question the role of human beings in global warming, the quality of the science and the seriousness of the threat of climate change
for example, they claim that current rising temperatures are due to natural variation, or that water vapour is a more important cause of global warming which is not accounted for in many models of climate change
it is hard to say whether such groups have reduced governments’ ability to agree on what to do, but they may have influenced public opinion
in the UK, less than 1% of voters consider the environment among the most important issues facing the country, if voters do not prioritise global warming there is less impetus for governments to act
also, action on the environment might mean higher taxes or more restrictions on citizens, which would reduce their standard of living and freedom of action
there is heavy divisions within developed states over climate change that would take a long time to resolve, but action over climate change needs to occur now so should be undertaken by developing states as soon as possible
unequal climate change has been largely caused by developed states, so should be fixed by them
unequal climate change has been largely caused by developed states, so should be fixed by them
developed states are responsible for much of the emissions in the developing world
due to globalisation, around one-third of carbon dioxide emissions in the developing world come from the manufacturing of goods that are consumed in the developed world
therefore, it would seem right that developed states should bear greater responsibility for the reduction in carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide levels, especially when they have had longer to enjoy the benefits of industrialisation
climate change affects developing states more, it is their responsibility to tackle it
a further complication in agreeing binding targets is that climate change does not affect all parts of the world equally
as it affects developing states more, it is their responsibility to tackle it
generally, the northern hemisphere has been only mildly affected by more extreme weather events, such as flooding and storms, thought to be caused by warming temperatures
equatorial regions and the southern hemisphere are more populated and seem to be bearing the brunt of climate change
the increasing incidence of drought in East Africa, the expansion of the Sahara and Namibian deserts, and the threat of rising sea levels to low-lying islands in the Pacific and river deltas in places such as Bangladesh may make such places uninhabitable in the future
for islands such as the Maldives, Nauru, Tuvalu and Vanuatu, urgent action on climate change is a matter of national survival
the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) is lobbying for the more ambitious target of limiting the rise in global mean temperatures to just 1.5°C, rather than the 2°C accepted by most other states
