The biggest contributors to the causes of climate change today are second and third world countries. The Paris plan for addressing climate change gave those countries a grace period while placing a greater burden on developed countries like the United States. Americans have argued against that accord asking why those who are doing the most polluting make the least contributions to fixing the problem.
The argument made by the second and third world countries is that they are johnny come latelies to polluting the world. It was the Western countries who created the situation first, with excessive pollution from the mid-1800s through the late 1900s. They should not suffer the biggest burden of cleaning up while the original contributors go scot free.
If I were running the US, what I'd propose is a multi-billion dollar aid package to second and third world countries. We'll pay a significant percentage of the cost of buying what you need to clean up your country, with a proviso:
Whatever you buy has to be made in the US to some extent.
That way, the US can contribute big bucks toward climate change and that contribution is going toward encouraging research, development and manufacturing of items here in the US and not further enriching the economy of China or some other country.
There would have to be some independent certification of items that qualify as being useful toward combating climate change so people don't buy meaningless items.
The argument made by the second and third world countries is that they are johnny come latelies to polluting the world. It was the Western countries who created the situation first, with excessive pollution from the mid-1800s through the late 1900s. They should not suffer the biggest burden of cleaning up while the original contributors go scot free.
If I were running the US, what I'd propose is a multi-billion dollar aid package to second and third world countries. We'll pay a significant percentage of the cost of buying what you need to clean up your country, with a proviso:
Whatever you buy has to be made in the US to some extent.
- 25% made in the US gets a 15% matching fund toward the purchase
- 50% made in the US gets a 45% matching fund toward the purchase
- 75% made in the US gets a 70% matching fund toward the purchase
- 100% gets a 90% matching fund toward the purchase
That way, the US can contribute big bucks toward climate change and that contribution is going toward encouraging research, development and manufacturing of items here in the US and not further enriching the economy of China or some other country.
There would have to be some independent certification of items that qualify as being useful toward combating climate change so people don't buy meaningless items.
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