China, India (and others) may want to have a share?

In some of the comments in Europe (let us be tactful and avoid names) to the issue of climate change and the need for measures, there has been an undertone of self-righteousness, rather than willingness to act. Some have said that many of the European countries are so small that it does not matter what they do. Some have gone as far as saying that focus should be shifted to countries like China, India and Brazil and others. Absolutely, but how?

China has at least put up strong targets and is also pioneering the use of accounting that includes the environmental effects. But has not managed to keep the pace the first of the five years in the latest plan. Still there is hope to get up the speed!

And India is taking assistance from no less than Sir Nicholas Stern! But sceptics say that the man on the street still would like to have some of the goods that are advertised to him to be necessary for a decent living in the industrialised world. Who could blame him?

If we consider these issues of what is right and fair it becomes so much more obvious that the European technology plan focus on sustainable technology rather than only low-carbon that could cement us in vulnerable infrastructures.