DEVELOPING-COUNTRIES ARE COMBATING CLIMATE-CHANGE - ACTIONS IN DEVELOPING-COUNTRIES THAT SLOW GROWTH IN CARBON EMISSIONS

The role of developing countries in helping to solve the problem of cl imate change is increasingly a focus of political controversy. With le vels of greenhouse gas emissions projected to exceed those of develope d countries by 2020, some industrialized countries are calling on deve loping countries to take stronger actions to meet the commitments they have made in the Framework Convention on Climate Change (FCCC), This review of recent policy changes in developing countries, however, sugg ests that they are already taking little appreciated steps that reduce rates of growth in carbon emissions. Indeed, since the 1992 signing o f the FCCC, carbon emission savings in developing countries may be gre ater than those attained by industrialized countries. A major source o f these gains can be attributed to energy price reforms that are likel y to have led to substantial gains in production and end-use efficienc y. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.