September 30th, 2016

The equity of climate change mitigation

In the developed world we have reached a developed state. No brainwave there.
However, that state involves a lot of concrete buildings and roads and infrastructure that have consumed the 'stock' of CO2 available in the atmosphere.
Capital means both financial capital and GHG capital.
In New Zealand we deforested to create farmland that now yields our economy great reward.
Similarly, we have built our factories of steel and concrete, and roads to take our goods, and this has consumed GHG capital. 
Poorer countries are trying to take the same journey.
It is not up to us to criticise that journey, it is up to us to help it not take the toll our journey did.
And we can. Wind farms in the Gobi. Pay to protect the Amazon. So many more examples.