The United States and other developed countries produce a majority of the greenhouse gas emissions and consume a disproportionate share of envi- ronmentally sensitive products such as ocean fish; their consumption of energy, wood products, and raw materials is even more strikingly dispro- portionate.53 A substantial part of developed-country consumption is waste- ful. It seems clear that the world as a whole cannot consume at current U.S. or other developed-country levels; responsible consumption on the part of the developed countries is not just setting a good example but an ecological necessity. This does not mean that economies cannot continue to grow indefi- nitely—clearly they can, as more consumption becomes knowledge-based and more modest in its use of raw materials. It is rather that the patterns of con- sumption must change. As we have seen, price signals alone will not guide resource use when substantial externalities and public goods are involved.
Emission Controls Beyond responsible consumption, perhaps the greatest contribution that the developed world can make to the global environment will be through a clear demonstration of their own commitment to a cleaner environment. Because they remain the main polluters of air and sea, devel- oped countries must lead the way to global changes in current and future patterns of production. If wealthy nations do not achieve significant and sus- tained reductions in the production of greenhouse gases, it will be difficult to convince the developing world to do so, considering that per capita emissions levels are far below those in the industrialized countries.
Research and Development The high-income countries must also take a leadership role in research and development efforts. Growing public support for stricter environmental regulation in the industrialized world is likely to lead to the development of both cheaper emissions abatement technologies and cleaner (or “greener") production processes. Innovations resulting from research and development will enhance efforts to reduce emissions if they are adopted in developing countries. Currently, many clean technologies are prohibitively expensive for the developing world’s industries. It is thus unrealistic to expect low-income countries to attain standards set in high- income countries. However, it is not necessary for developing countries to reproduce environmental debacles endured during the onset of industrial- ization in the developed world. Making cheaper, cleaner abatement tech- nologies accessible to developing countries can help limit a principal source of global emissions—the rapid industrialization of the developing world. Availability of low-carbon technologies will be crucial in the fight to limit climate change.
Import Restrictions Through its importation of products that are associ- ated with environmentally unsustainable production, the developed world has an indirect but important impact on the global environment. International treaties to limit the destruction of endangered resources will have little effect if wealthy nations continue to provide lucrative markets for the sale of such goods. Import restrictions are an effective way of reducing undesired inter- national trade. Consumer sovereignty expressed through boycotts and other forms of pressure on corporations can be effective. However, they require strong leadership and tend to focus on large firms, which represent only a relatively small portion of the overall problem.
Of course, it is important to make certain that such environmental restric- tions applied by government or civil society are not merely disguised protec- tionism against developing countries and to ensure that the poor are provided opportunities to preserve their livelihoods through their environmental wealth in a sustainable and equitable manner.