Equity and Greenhouse Gas Responsibility in Climate Change Policy

Abstract

Under the Kyoto Protocol, industrialized nations have approved commitments to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. These commitments apply only to developed nations, reflecting the international consensus that the industrialized countries should take the lead in mitigating climate change. The U.S. government has made ratification of the Kyoto Protocol conditional on "meaningful participation" by developing nations in mitigating GHG emissions. By impossing this requirement before the long-term equity concerns of developing countries are adequately addressed, the United States may effectively block the implementation of the protocol. Developing countries cannot reasonably be expected to restrict their future emissions without being assured of a fair allocation scheme that will not impair their ability to develop. We argue for the long-term allocation of emissions based on equal rights to the atmospheric commons for every individual (per capita) as a solution to this impasse.

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