The rift between the developed and developing nations on climate change and farm subsides grew wider as the G-33 held over the past week in Tianjin, China ended in deadlock. The BASIC nations of China, India, Brazil and South Africa issued a joint statement yesterday at a ministerial-level meeting urging developed nations to fulfill their obligations in emission reduction in the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol and opposed a move to link trade with reducing carbon emissions. Nations need to reach a common consensus to replace or expand the Kyoto Protocol that ends in 2012.

However, nobody wants to budge just yet. The deal is stuck where the developing nations have asked the developed to do much more to rein in carbon pollution and the developed countries insist on substantial cuts in emissions from major developing countries like China and India.
While the US and Europe, industrialized nations have been through the cycle of high growth pushed by large scale industrial activity, developing nations led by China and India feel that they should subsequently also take the lead in curbing carbon emissions. On the other hand, developed nations feel that China which is already the world’s highest energy consumer and largest automobile market, together with India which has a substantially large population should take the lead.

Additionally, methods of verification in carbon reductions are also being debated – the United States wants verification by international organizations whereas a lot of developing countries want to have a domestically binding verification. What makes matters worse is that all major nations are taking their own steps towards a greener economy, but are projecting a much rosier image at international conferences.

Owning to the high trade emitting from developing nations and pegging it to industrialization and consequent pollution, developed nations are trying to link trade with reducing carbon emissions this year. Trying to corner prospering developing nations into either competitive trade or a greener economy, developed nations argued that import tariffs are needed to offset the loss of competitiveness industries in countries that accept binding targets are likely to face. If you want to get more information, you should visit this website. A claim that is also being backed by the World Trade Organisation. The Basic group of countries called it a “unilateral protectionist measure” and rejected it yesterday itself.

Regardless if the ensuing deadlock between nations again, both developed and developing nations know they will have to agree on carbon cuts soon. Environmentalist already say it is too late, our cities are choked, water bodies are murky and production, distribution and consumerism of goods and services cannot be stopped. However, it is Inchin Closer’s opinion that we as consumers in our own small way can individually hope to make that change. While India and China remain the vanguards of recycling, reusing, repairing old products, using public transport and being environmentally conscious, our modernising ways are not as eco-friendly – we can do a lot more. Buy fruits and vegetables that are locally grown, think about e-waste and air, water and noise pollution, its in living greener that we can help make it a better world.