Statistics say the global population will increase almost a billion in the next 12 years, 600 million in China alone. More significantly, the middle class will grow by 1.8 billion. In 2006, China added as much electricity as France’s total supply. Still millions in China live without electricity. In India 400 million do not have power. China and India with 40% of the world’s population consume 50% of the coal, iron ore, and steel. As more and more people in these countries attain middle class status, the demand for everything will increase disproportionately. Oil, food, coal, and other commodities will be needed in these countries as well as Brazil, Indonesia, Turkey, and Vietnam.
While our government busies itself with Roger Clements, global warming, and other mundane issues these countries are planning for the future. They have no plans to let our greed for these commodities get in the way of their progress. They want their share and some of our share. Are you ready to cough up some of your life style to help people in China get power for the first time? To eat better? To drive their first car? I would say most of you have no intention of sacrificing to help developing countries grow the middle class. But you will.
Why, because everything we are not doing here makes it easier for them to benefit at our expense. We want to stop progress in the name of all noble causes. They are going all out for progress and don’t give a hoot about the same noble causes we let block progress. Hence, for every gram of greenhouse gas we reduce they will emit thousands. They have been living like the environmentalists want us to live and they don’t like it. They want to live like we do. In your lifetime you will see role reversal. We will stop progress and they will set new records by building everything faster than we dream it can be done.
When the scales tip to their end, they will call the shots in the world and we will like it. We won’t have a choice.
