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Informist, Monday, Jul 22, 2024

NEW DELHI – The Economic Survey for 2023-24 (Apr-Mar) has come down heavily on Western countries for their fossil fuel-led development "with reckless abandon", which has led to the position the world is in today. The survey, without naming any country, asked them to take ownership of the climate problem and work through a collaborative approach for meaningful climate action.

"It is said that India is the 3rd largest emitter after the US and China and, therefore, is repeatedly asked to accept a greater share of responsibility," the survey said. "What is constantly de-emphasised is that since the period of the first settlement of societies, western nations with a forward position on the industrial revolution indulged in fossil-fuelled development with reckless abandon that led to the position the world is in today."

According to the survey, despite advocacy by developing nations on the topic, a reference to "historical emissions" has been buried deep in abstruse literature. "Even copious amounts of data inundation cannot change a basic fact: energy is a per-capita phenomenon," it said.

The survey sought that the climate target for each country be kept proportional to its economic status.

"The top 10% of the per-capita emitters averaged 22 tn of CO2 in 2021, which is over 200 times what the bottom 10% emits. 85% of the current largest emitters live in advanced economies like the US, Europe, and China, and the bottom 10% of emitters live in developing countries of Africa and South Asia where even access to electricity is a challenge," the survey said.

It drew a comparison between the world and India's historical cumulative emissions and per capita emissions, which it said, have been very low, contributing only about 4% of the global cumulative greenhouse gas emissions between 1850 and 2019. The survey specifically pointed out that this persists despite India being home to more than 17% of the global population.

"Countries assumed to be 'greener' by various international indices turn a dark shade of brown when the filter of per capita is applied," the survey said.

Citing the World Energy Outlook 2023, the survey said that the "per-capita energy demand of emerging countries remains well below that of developed countries, even by 2030".

Under a separate subhead titled 'Historical Blindspot and a surprising lack of Guilt', the survey took a jibe at Western countries for the "moralistic angle taken by the developed world on governance and policy towards (other, developing) countries".

The survey also quoted from Alice in Wonderland to point out what Western countries have been doing to the developing – "But that's just the trouble with me. I give myself very good advice, but I very seldom follow it."

Research shows that developing countries require $6 trln by 2030 to achieve just about half of their existing Nationally Determined Contributions targets, according to the survey. This number is starkly higher than the $100 bln pledged by developed countries till 2020, of which only $83.3 bln was provided.

"This level of financing still does not match up to the scale of the challenge faced. Climate adaptation needs of developing countries are expected to reach $300 bln by 2030 and $500 bln by 2050, which is 5-10 times greater than the current fund flows," the survey said.

Praising India's methods towards sustainability, the survey says that despite the largest population in the world, India has only the seventh-largest area, culminating in a significant resource constraint. "And yet, this country consistently delivers not only on sustaining its vast population but also on touching the pinnacles of an aspirational society."

"At the core of it, it does seem duplicitous to talk about sustainability to poorer countries without changing anything about global lifestyle driven by overconsumption, beef-eating, and fast fashion," it said.  End

US$1 = 83.66 rupees

Reported by Pallavi Singhal

Edited by Avishek Dutta

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