Context:
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The climate change governance framework is colonial in nature and there is need to recognise the inequality of consumption to tackle the climate crisis.
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Developed countries emitted most, became developed and are still emitting.
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No space left for developing nations to develop using cheap technologies which are polluting.
Colonial Framework of the Climate Change Governance:
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Tragedy of Commons:
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Relentless consumption without regards to biodiversity leading to pollution and adverse impact on “commons” – things that all took granted as a common bounty.
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Inequality in consumption:
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The climate action agenda shifted the objective from equitable consumption to reduction in carbon emissions.
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Development continues to be about consumption and comfort that rich people and nations enjoy.
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Failure to distinguish between lifestyle and lifeline use of resource:
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Whether a unit of energy lights a poor Indian household or keeps a rich Indian in air-conditioned comfort is irrelevant to climate action warriors.
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Unipolar focus on technologies:
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Poor people and poor countries have to access food at affordable prices; but technologies to enable this are polluting.
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People who earned on polluting fuels are earlier are now advocating low carbon fuels.
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