Emissions, Ethics, and Excuses

Our planet is on fire, both literally and figuratively, as we race against time to prevent an irreversible climate crisis. Nations across the world are pledging drastic measures and taking responsibility for their emissions.

But here’s the real question: Is this burden truly shared?

Are western nations hypocritical in demanding climate action from developing nations? 

The world stands at a critical crossroads where the economy and the environment clash with each other. Developing nations seek prosperity through the same fossil-fueled path Western countries took for centuries. However, with climate change accelerating, this route is unwise. Wealthier nations now urge the world to adopt sustainability measures. Yet, some see this demand as hypocritical. 

If the developed world was allowed to industrialize without restrictions, why should today’s developing nations be held to a different standard? 

Some of the world’s largest economies today, like the U.S., UK, Germany, and France built their wealth through coal, oil, and colonial exploitation while ignoring environmental costs. But now the West demands that developing countries drastically cut emissions, disregarding the fact that these nations played a relatively minor role in creating the crisis in the first place. 

USA’s historical emissions have always exceeded that of other countries (look at the green line)

Developing nations are blamed for producing more emissions, but can they reduce pollution along with their efforts for growth? 

Emerging economies like India, Brazil, and Indonesia, on one hand, must uplift millions from poverty and improve infrastructure, while on the other hand, they are being pressured to transition away from affordable fossil fuels toward greener but costlier alternatives. Should this burden of transition fall disproportionately on countries that need to focus more on development? For instance, India is the third-largest emitter of CO₂ today, but its per capita emissions remain significantly lower than those of the U.S. and many European nations, yet it faces scrutiny over its coal dependency. The expectation that these nations should bear equal responsibility without considering their needs is fundamentally unfair.

Despite their huge populations, India and China have lower per capita emissions than smaller countries with disproportionately high emissions.

Developed nations are quick to blame the climate crisis on developing ones, but are they themselves doing enough?

The U.S., an advocate for renewable energy, remains the world’s largest producer of oil and gas. Germany, considered as Europe’s green leader, has reopened its coal-powered plants without attracting any criticism. These wealthy nations continue to finance fossil fuel projects abroad, even as they urge others to transition away from them. These contradictions weaken the credibility of Western nations when calling for global climate action. 

Developing nations were assured financial and technological support for their green transition, $100 billion annually to help them shift toward sustainable energy, but these commitments have consistently fallen short. Moreover, much of this funding has come in the form of loans rather than grants, further burdening nations with debt instead of empowering them with resources. Many western companies also hold patents on critical renewable energy tech, making them expensive for developing countries to adopt. If the world genuinely wants emerging economies to embrace sustainability, access to clean energy technology must be made more affordable.

Most of the contribution is in the form of loans, increasing debt. Counting them as aid is unethical.

But can we let politics and greed stand in the way, or is it time to act and protect our planet?

Rather than pointing fingers, we must embrace collaboration. Western nations have a role, not just as critics but as partners in the transition. They can facilitate technology transfers, reduce the cost of renewable energy patents, and provide financial aid that is grant-based rather than loan-based. Meanwhile, developing nations must make efforts towards sustainability through innovation and ensuring that economic progress does not come at environmental costs.

If Western nations truly want a greener planet, they must lead with action. Anything less is just hypocrisy dressed as leadership.

By- Kovid Shrivastava, Charvi, Alekh Paroha, Gaurav Agarwal - Members, The Commerce Society