Undeniably increasing energy demand and economic growth go hand in hand. In the developed world we are in danger of commiting a huge hypocrisy to imply that China's policy decisions are the critical factor when for example the US is not prepared to take it's head out of the sand, continuing to consume at a much higher rate than anyone else. Surely we should be focusing on energy conservation at home rather than trying to put the monkey on somebody elses back?

Urging China to adopt cleaner forms of energy production should not be ruled out on the grounds that the Western industrial powers have made the largest contribution to the world's pollution problems through their own dirty energy energy production in the past. If only from self-interest, China has every reason to embrace cleaner energy choices, and global systems such as carbon trading provide useful mechanisms to support this process.

Many contributors to this debate have used the term hypocrisy in relation to Western criticism of China's energy policy and of Chinese involvement in Africa. That may be valid, but it could also be argued that it is patronising to suspend all forms of critical comment with regard to countries outside the elite of advanced industrial economies.

Dear Readers,

It doesn't matter what is the development' stage of a country, no one should be permitted to spoil the environment as a way to achieve economic growth. The wrongdoings of the past can't be an excuse for nowadays wrongdoings. At that time we hadn't yet realized how bad we were doing for the nature and, as part of it, for ourselves. From now on we must preserve the earth planet at any cost, for us and for the coming generations.
It's up to all of us to curb the wrong production practises not buying the goods and services yielded by countries that don't care about environment.

(Não importa o estágio de desenvolvimento de um país, nenhum país deveria ter permissão para poluir o meio ambiente como meio de alcançar o crescimento econômico. Os erros do passado não podem ser desculpas para os erros atuais. Naquele tempo ainda não tínhamos consciência do mal que fazíamos para a natureza e, como parte dela, para nós mesmos. De agora em diante devemos preservar o planeta terra a todo custo, para nós mesmos e para as gerações vindouras.
Cabe a cada um de nós limitar práticas erradas de produção, deixando de comprar produtos e serviços disponibilizados por países que não se preocupam com o meio-ambiente.)

Urbano Ballstaedt