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climate debt
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n18.climatedebtFOEI.pdf
Adobe PDF, 2.33 MB
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"Both the UNFCCC and the Kyoto Protocol recognize that industrialized countries are responsible for causing climate change and should thus take the lead in mitigating it. The Convention states: “Noting that the largest share of historical and current global emissions of greenhouse gases has originated in developed countries, that per capita emissions in developing countries are still relatively low and that the share of global emissions originating in developing countries will grow to meet their social and development needs...” The principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, explicitly mentioned in the UNFCCC8, strongly supports historical responsibility. Already incorporated into the 1987 Montreal Protocol, it outlines the dualstandard of commitments for developed and developing countries. The “differentiated responsibilities” referred to in the Convention encompasses two questions: who can take action, and who should. Acknowledging historical responsibility requires regions that have historically been the principal contributors to increased atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to compensate regions where historic GHG emissions have been lower. However, the question as to whether it is fair to ask the current generation in wealthy countries to ‘pay for the debts of their predecessors’ is an important and legitimate one that deserves further analysis." (p. 3,4)
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2005-12
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With permission of the license/copyright holder