China & Climate Change

At a press conference in Washington D.C., leadership within the International Monetary Fund (IMF) addressed climate change. This press conference was held in advance of next week's spring meetings of the IMF and the World Bank.

Economic counselor and director of research at the IMF, Simon Johnson, specifically addressed the role China and other large developing countries would play in the struggles against climate change. Johnson expressed the belief of the IMF and World Bank that any multilateral action would have to include strong commitments from countries like China and India. He stated, this "is because during the next 50 years, 70 percent of emissions are projected to come from emerging and developing countries."

This kind of language signals a change in addressing climate change from the Bretton Woods organizations, who under previous international agreements, have given special consideration to developing nations. Such policies were fundamental in some countries, including the United States, not participating. Hopefully, this kind of language remains, and multilateral agreements on climate change will fairly incorporate all nations.