News about Solar, Wind and alternative green power technologies

China is becoming a more known icon in release of CO2. Yet this boost in pollution is caused by exported products. The rise in production generating more emission is a direct effect of Western demand, as mentioned in recent reports.

The indirect contribution of developed world in increasing emission in developing nations has remained an elusive topic during international negotiations. According to a published report in Geophysical Research Letters “Journey to world top emitter”, the CO2 emission by China rose with 45 percent during the period 2002 to 2005. It is estimated that 50 percent of this was caused by rising export. Eventually, 60 % was sold to Western countries.

According to Carnegie Mellon University, University of Cambridge, University of Leeds and CICERO it was found that only 7 percent of the greenhouse gas was due to household consumption.

Global Actions
Some hard questions are raised when we think about our global system. Developed countries reduce CO2 emission by increasing it in other parts of the world. “Glen Peter”, a researcher for CICERO (Center for International Climate and Environmental Research) in Oslo says that it is important to be held accountable for action produced indirectly.

Commodities such as appliances, machinery, metals, chemicals and generally electronic products are responsible for a large portion of greenhouse gases. International trade is good for the global economy. It isn’t harmful in itself. If other types of products such as environmentally friendly ones were in demand, then international trade would be regarded as even better.

Issue of Accountability

There are no international climate agreement that considers the issue of import and export. According to the Kyoto Protocol, each country is liable for emission generated in its territory (country). The results are often increasing import. Whenever a country reduces greenhouse emission in its country and augments import from another country, it is called “carbon leakage”

Kyoto Protocol does need some revisits. The issue of carbon leakage must be considered more severely. Some possible alterations that could be adopted are carbon taxes on imported products. This would, according to Glen Peter, make every consumer pay for his or her contribution to carbon emissions.

Addressing carbon emission at national and international level requires comprehensive actions that inculcate ‘carbon leakage’. Emission appears to be remotely produced by importing countries as well as the exporting country.

Source: CICERO