[pp.int.general] Towards a Pirate Policy on Environmental Issues

[Richard Stallman]

    So, the only way to be honest about environmental issues... is to
    find out how we can stop needing competitivity.

Not necessarily.  If the same environmental rules or pollution taxes
are applied to everyone, they can still go on being competitive, but
they will have an incentive to do so in ways that respect the
environment.

    Like when the west favours highly patented alternative energy
    sources... and targets the high pollution levels of more
    traditional energy sources like petroleum or coal... without
    offering to share their access to clean technology.

I think that picture of west vs rest does not fit the facts.  Western
countries provide tremendous subsidies to fossil fuel companies (there
is a campaign in the US to cut them).  Meanwhile, ISTR reading that
China is working very hard on renewable energy, including
manufacturing for export.

Many poor countries will face early disaster from global heating
because they can't afford to compensate for the consequences.  What
they need most is for the bug energy-using countries (such as US and
China) to stop pushing them to disaster.

--
Dr Richard Stallman
President, Free Software Foundation
51 Franklin St
Boston MA 02110
USA
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