By Vijay Jayaraj
Guyana President Irfaan Ali is the latest leader of a developing nation to publicly acknowledge the hypocrisy of those who pressure countries like his to give up their wealth in pursuit of a “green” agenda.
in one fiery reaction In response to a BBC interviewer’s question about Guyana’s “right” to emit carbon dioxide in the development of $150 billion worth of oil and gas reserves, President Ali questioned “the right to teach us about change.” climate” by reporters. I will lecture you about climate change.
It is not is new, but still worrying. Seizing seats of power from Brussels to Washington, DC, they point accusing fingers while ignoring centuries of using coal, oil and natural gas to enrich their countries.
The double standard fails to acknowledge the urgent needs of less developed countries working to improve the lives of their impoverished citizens. Such a country is Guyana, the third smallest South American country in the region.
The Guyanese President told British journalists that it was hypocritical for rich countries to ask poor countries to reduce emissions. President Ali questioned the moral authority of those who benefited from the hydrocarbon-based Industrial Revolution, whose most notable technological driver was the coal-fired steam engine.
“The world, in the last 50 years, has lost 65% of its total biodiversity,” said the president, whose country has extensive tropical forests. “We have retained our biodiversity. Are you appreciating it? Are you willing to pay for it? When will the developed world pay for it, or are you in their pocket?”
President Ali’s remarks echo those of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and others who have rejected climate alarmists’ hostility toward fossil fuels in favor of hydrocarbon exploitation to support support economic growth.
From a developing country’s perspective, climate crusaders are especially annoyed when they travel on fuel-guzzling private jets to locations reserved for climate conferences of the United Nations. Amount of CO22 The emissions of such a flight exceed the annual emissions of the average individual in a developing country.
Per capita emissions and energy poverty
With the exception of nuclear energy, fossil fuels are the most dense form of energy and therefore the most effective in promoting economic growth. Their uses – and their CO2 emissions – have a direct relationship with society’s wealth. Low-poverty economies have high per capita emissions or have experienced rising emissions due to the central role of fossil fuels in their development.
Therefore, except for a few lucky countries with abundant water resources for hydroelectric power generation or nuclear power plants, low emissions per capita are equivalent to poverty. While large developing countries like India produce a significant amount of CO2 In terms of total emissions, the per capita emissions of individual citizens are smaller than the carbon emissions of people in Western developed countries.
For example, global CO per capita2 emissions in 2022 is just over 4 tons while India’s is less than 2 tons. In the UK – home of the BBC – emissions per capita are nearly 5 tonnes.
The African continent has per capita emissions of less than 1 ton; Central African Republic, 0.05 tons, with 70% of citizens in extreme poverty, making it a fifth poorest country In the world. Another African country among the five poorest is the Democratic Republic of Congo with only 0.04 tons per capita. According to World Bank4.6% of Congolese live on less than $2.15 per day.
Pro-Doomsday politicians cling to their luxuries while millions lack access to clean water, modern appliances, and cars. The Guyanese President and others are absolutely right to point out the hypocrisy and moral bankruptcy.
This commentary was first published at The energy is really clear on April 24, 2024.
Vijay Jayaraj is a research associate at CO2 Alliance, Arlington, Virginia. He holds a master’s degree in environmental science from the University of East Anglia, UK
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