by Veena Krishnan

Created on: December 10, 2009   Last Updated: December 11, 2009

I think developed countries have a bigger responsibility towards fighting climate change but they cannot be solely responsible for paying to fight it.

It is the process of their development that has resulted in the present global situation. When they were progressing towards development, they did not stop to think what the possible consequences of such development could be. They continued to improve their living conditions and have now reached a stage when they have begun taking the material resources for granted.

Can one see a public toilet in the developed world without toilet rolls, hot and cold water supply in the taps and a hand dryer? Street and road lighting will be provided and they will remain lit throughout the night. Children feel safe on the streets in the night because they have the 'security' of the CCTV.

It is the availability of these facilities along with the obvious economic, financial and commercial advantages that has helped the developed countries earn their name. 

The history of developing countries shows that many of them were ruled by the developed countries. The rulers allowed selective facilities and improvements to be introduced in the countries during their rule. Many developing countries were left in total ruins when their 'rulers' granted them their freedom.

These countries were struggling to establish themselves as independent countries besides having to improve the conditions in which they were left. They had an uphill task of improving basic living conditions and introducing and benefitting from the technological advancements already available globally. Population control, health and medical issues were not tackled on a more vigorous footing resulting in large populations living in poor conditions.  

With globalisation, there is awareness in the people of the developing countries. Their aspirations are changing. They want to improve and want to improve soon. Enough time has been wasted and so they want to bring about change quickly and up to the standards of the developed countries.

They want to use their large human resource to their advantage and in return they too want to enjoy the facilities available to other people. They are all set to do whatever it takes to improve their living conditions and now they are being told to reduce their carbon emissions and demands on natural resources.

When proper streets and roads do not exist, where is the question of reducing use of natural resources for street lighting? When houses don’t have electricity do we check for carbon emissions from tumble dryers and refrigerators? Just when the people are filled with hope of improvement they are being told to slow down. Obviously they are feeling cheated from enjoying what is theirs too.

The development of the developed nations came at a price. That price has to be borne largely by them alone. Their rules for fighting climate change have to be more stringent and at the same time developing nations have to be allowed to develop but their payment would be in the form of doing it in a more responsible and sustainable way.

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