What are the Two Worlds of Climate?

Why the developing world and the developed world are having two entirely unrelated conversations about climate and energy.

The most important fact about the climate crisis is that developed world emissions are falling slowly while developing world emissions are rising quickly. Until you’ve grasped this chart you really shouldn’t try to be part of the policy debate:

Why is this happening? Why is it certain to keep happening?

Because there are two worlds of climate. A developed world where energy transition has been slow and painful but is now beginning to take hold, and another world, a developing world of climate, where transition hasn’t begun at all.

Alas, many more people live in the in developing world than in the developed world. On average they use little energy and thirst to use a lot more.

That’s normal.

The process of shifting from poverty to security is irreducibly energy-intensive. The “room for growth” in emissions is almost all in the developing world. And the worst impacts of climate change will also be in the developing world.

For those of us in the developed world or climate, it takes a bit of modesty to grasp that while we historically caused much of the problem, what happens going forward is really not up to us.