There is a huge story here about NGOs (international and domestic) and senior officials in developing countries conniving to drive a climate change policy narrative that works against the interests of people in poorer countries. These countries should be concerned primarily (and perhaps only) with adaptation and resilience to inevitable climate change that they cannot stop and mostly did not cause. The best form of adaptation is to be more prosperous: fewer weather-exposed livelihoods, more robust infrastructure for transport, water and energy, better-built housing, adaptable healthcare, controlled interior environments and so on - the things that make life bearable as the weather changes. That's all about achieving equitable growth. The problem is that many of the mitigation options that drive the policy discourse are expensive, untried, or complex, and work against growth and prosperity. The NGOs and foundations involved have been exploitative, and I'm glad to see you getting involved.
Thank you, Clive, if there is more to say/write about this, please let me know privately. I'm especially interested in what foundations have done (or not done) in this regard. I myself used to make the mistake of writing about household energy (solar lamps, cookstoves) in poor countries without making the point that energy for industry and business was needed as well.
There is a huge story here about NGOs (international and domestic) and senior officials in developing countries conniving to drive a climate change policy narrative that works against the interests of people in poorer countries. These countries should be concerned primarily (and perhaps only) with adaptation and resilience to inevitable climate change that they cannot stop and mostly did not cause. The best form of adaptation is to be more prosperous: fewer weather-exposed livelihoods, more robust infrastructure for transport, water and energy, better-built housing, adaptable healthcare, controlled interior environments and so on - the things that make life bearable as the weather changes. That's all about achieving equitable growth. The problem is that many of the mitigation options that drive the policy discourse are expensive, untried, or complex, and work against growth and prosperity. The NGOs and foundations involved have been exploitative, and I'm glad to see you getting involved.
Thank you, Clive, if there is more to say/write about this, please let me know privately. I'm especially interested in what foundations have done (or not done) in this regard. I myself used to make the mistake of writing about household energy (solar lamps, cookstoves) in poor countries without making the point that energy for industry and business was needed as well.