What amazes me is how these lessons are given to Asian countries only, while West continues to dump greenhouse gases.
MUMBAI: This is with reference to Changyong Rhee’s article “Powering the Asian century” (May 3). Although the article is on the future of energy needs in the Asian context, I must say it comes awfully close to making the same claims that the US has made, of international food prices rising due to people in India and China demanding more food. That sustainable energy is the future is a no-brainer; what amazes me is how these lessons are given to Asian countries only, while the West continues to dump greenhouse gases.
For 100 years, the West has advanced and progressed by annihilating the planet’s resources. Now, when just a handful of developing nations are on the cusp of real progress, we are handed out lessons on how our rising energy consumption will be harmful. The article mentions that Asian countries should cut general fuel subsidies and should provide targeted subsidies instead. May I remind the writer that there are 800 million people in India earning two dollars a day. The situation in most of Asia, including China, is equally bad. How do you expect these people to pay electricity bills when they cannot afford two meals a day? Please compare the carbon footprint of a German, Scandinavian or an American with a South Asian or a Chinese. You will get the real picture on the ground.
Siddharth Pandey
Published in The Express Tribune, May 5th, 2013.
