China, doing their part to contain GHG

[DanaC]

Countries act in their own interest first and foremost. They act in the wider interest only if it doesn't clash severely with their own interests. At this point in China's industrial development they can make a good case for the wider good conflicting with their own self interest. AS a country that's been through that stage of industrial development and now has enough of an industrial base to begin making changes, we can take more account of the wider good. That said, even with those good intentions we are unlikely to make any of the targets we were shooting for.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by DanaC

Countries act in their own interest first and foremost. They act in the wider interest only if it doesn't clash severely with their own interests. At this point in China's industrial development they can make a good case for the wider good conflicting with their own self interest. AS a country that's been through that stage of industrial development and now has enough of an industrial base to begin making changes, we can take more account of the wider good. That said, even with those good intentions we are unlikely to make any of the targets we were shooting for.

No doubt. All of that is true. Which makes me very cautious about other interests who are pushing us to make expensive changes to our industrial base all the while letting some of the worst off the hook in the name of some esoteric leveling of the playing field. I don't buy it.

[DanaC]

And this is of course, what makes international agreements very difficult to reach. At some point the countries involved have to set aside a portion of that self interest in order to reach an acceptable compromise.