Do Environmental Treaties Threaten the Economies of Developing Nations?

While most think of environmental treaties as a positive turn for the world, a recent study indicates that these may actually be harmful to the developing economies of the world.

While most think of environmental treaties as a positive turn for the world, a recent study indicates that these may actually be harmful to the developing economies of the world.

While the Pope recently opined that environmental protection could actually boost the world’s economies, this assertion appears to be true only for nations with a reasonable level of industrial development. The study showing this dilemma published in early July in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). The study found that the “carbonization” of energy resulting from the use of coal in developing nations could render treaties seeking to limit or eliminate carbon emissions functionally impossible.

The study, as reported by GlobalWarming.org, contains a number of data points supporting its central thesis. These include historic analyses of population growth and carbon emission, GDP per capita, energy intensity of GDP, and the carbon intensity of energy production. The study found that growth in emissions correlate strongly with increases in GDP per capita, primary energy consumption, and the carbon intensity of the energy.

Interestingly, population growth played little role in carbon emission, but economic development did. As technology and infrastructure advance, cleaner technologies for manufacturing, distributing, and using energy become available. Yet, to reach these levels, developed nations had to pass through a period of significant emission, largely due to the use of coal for energy and industry.

In essence, the study finds that high rates of coal consumption by non-OECD countries directly relate to that nation’s economic growth. Coal is generally more affordable than other forms of energy, making it a natural choice for developing nations. The poorer a country is, and the higher its rate of economic growth, the stronger the need for coal and the larger carbon footprint it has.

The study comes just as the COP 21 climate treaty conference takes place in Paris. The study’s authors note:

“Our results raise the more general question of the role of developing countries in climate-change mitigation. Developing economies now account for such a large share of global energy use that the trend toward higher carbon intensity in these countries cancels out the effect of decreasing carbon intensities in industrialized countries. If the future economic convergence of poor countries is fueled to a major extent by coal, i.e., if current trends continue, ambitious mitigation targets likely will become infeasible.”

The net effect of the study’s findings indicate that either poorer nations must be forced to remain poor to achieve environmental goals, or that they can be allowed to grow but at the cost of the world’s environment.