A moral absurdity?

DAVID WARREN THINKS the global warming campaign of environmentalists is a crock comparable previous scares concerning nuclear winter, the population bomb, and global famine.

He also thinks that to:

…”force the relatively efficient and cleanly Japanese to surrender huge quantities of cash in “carbon credits” to China’s dictatorial regime, while also surrendering advanced technology…”

is a moral absurdity.

He notes that:

…”Japan…for ideological purposes…now counts — along with South Korea, Taiwan, and any other technologically-advanced, free Asian countries — as part of the West. Largely bereft of natural resources, these countries built what they have by their own inventive efforts, paying all the way. Mainland China, by comparison, has enjoyed the latecomer’s advantage of massive foreign investment and technology transfer, under the direction of a heavily militarized system of central command.”

The entire piece is here.

While I agree that it is morally absurd, China is indeed fouling the East Asian nest with its pollution, and someone has to deal with all that muck. The Japanese government has apparently concluded that the Chinese (and Indians) are not going to clean up after themselves, as Prime Minister Fukuda is about to unveil a major environmental initiative for Asia this week.

Major Japanese daily Mainichi reported Monday…that Fukuda will unveil an environmental aid package worth US$2 billion over the next five years.
The seed money and resources for Asian nations will go toward the transfer of technologies for clean industries. Japan already gives roughly US$450 million worth loans and grants to China for environmental programs.
Japan’s western coast suffers greatly from air pollution drifting from China, whose industries are 10 times less energy-efficient than Japanese industries, according to the Japanese officials.

Here’s a previous Ampontan post discussing the consequences for Japan of Chinese pollution, and another on a different columnist’s morally (and intellectually) absurd solution.

Those readers who feel the urge to upload a rant about global warming are encouraged to read this, this (and the wealth of links), and this first.

If going through all that material seems as if it might be too tedious, then here’s the best single-shot package. It also has the advantage of providing comic relief.

To conclude, a question: Which do you think will receive more media coverage in the week ahead? The generous Japanese environmental aid package, or the new whaling expedition in the South Pacific?

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