Global warming is caused more by developed countries

Global warming is caused more by developed countries

Global warming is caused more by developed countries rather than developing countries.
Evaluate the statement and list the ways to reduce global warming.

I believe that both developed nations as well as developing nations are responsible for causing climatic changes and global warming but may be in different magnitudes.

There are however, certain facts which indicate that it is the developed countries which are more responsible for causing global warming than the developing countries. Climate change and global warming are the result of massive emissions of ‘greenhouse gases’ such as carbon dioxide, chloro – fluoro carbons, nitrous oxides etc. These gases are produced and emitted due to burning of fossil fuels. This became a big problem post the industrial revolution which began in the nineteenth century.

Though climate change is a global problem, but developed nations are heavily industrialised as compared to developing nations and release more greenhouse gases per capita than developing ones. Hence, to an extent it is true that developed nations are more responsible for causing global warming than the developing nations. Also, developed countries have highest number of vehicles which produce more gas eventually leading to the depletion of Ozone layer and thereby causing global warming.

However, it is also a fact that China, being a developing nation is highest emitter of green house gases in the world followed by United States of America, European Union, Brazil and Indonesia.

Reducing global warming is the need of the hour and both developed countries and the developing countries should join hands to take steps towards reducing the same. Recycling disposable products, planting trees, spreading awareness , using paper bags instead of plastic bags, conserving electricity for example by using CFL lights instead of the normal bulbs are some of the easy ways which can help to reduce global warming and it’s harmful impacts.

Understanding the urgency in the need to reduce global warming, Kyoto Protocol was adopted in Kyoto, Japan on December 11, 1997 and came into force on February 16, 2005.
Kyoto Protocol basically commits industrialized countries to stabilize green house gas emissions. It sets binding emission reduction targets on 37 industrialised countries and the European Community, thereby putting heavier burden on developed countries and holding them more responsible for causing global warming than developing countries.