Emissions down, but per capita footprint up

Looks like the human race might just have lost yet another chance to survive, going by the Durban impasse. Some want no legally binding deals, some want equal 'share' of the atmosphere (or right to pollute!), some want to simply continue with the 'good life'. For how long? The only suspense will be how much time will the new polluters have to enjoy the old-timers way of life!

Meanwhile,as some have pointed out, it is not just emissions we must be measuring but the carbon footprint. That is where even some of the role models in bringing down emissions are seen in a new colour.

In addition to emissions originating within a nation's borders from electricity generating, transportation, agriculture, industry, in assessing progress on mitigating a nation's climate impact, as with personal impact, the emissions of all goods consumed, whether produced domestically or abroad, need to be included.

A number of studies have shown that roughly one-third of China's greenhouse gas emissions are tied to goods produced there but destined for export. Under most carbon emission tallies, all these emissions are allocated to China and not the nation's consuming these goods.

Industrial countries document CO2 savings but in reality emission have only been shifted abroad, leaving total world emissions about the same...From 2002 to 2007 France reported stagnant or slightly decreasing CO2 emissions. In contrast, its per capita footprint increased continuously over the same period.

In essence the poor countries will be paying for the ways of those in rich nations! Can we hope for a fair world? Not at Durban anyway.