The Foreign Service Journal, February 2008

convention’s principle of common but differentiated responsibilities. Finally, the Bali roadmap calls for negoti- ation of concrete steps the international community can take to foster progress on adaptation, technology and finance. Toward a New Agreement The upcoming negotiations must be guided primarily by what the science is telling us: We must stabilize atmos- pheric concentrations of heat-trapping gases by massively cutting current and future emissions. Imagine that the atmosphere is a bathtub, and the tub is half-full. We’re rapidly pouring (emitting) carbon into that bathtub, the spigot is wide open, and the water level (concentration) is increasing. The job of the international community is to figure out how to turn down that spigot — slow down the amount of carbon going into the atmosphere — before the bathtub overflows. This is an enormous challenge, but also an economic opportunity. The question for diplomats and politicians alike is: How do we get there? The 1992 Framework Convention established the prin- ciple that countries should address the climate challenge “on the basis of equity and in accordance with their com- mon but differentiated responsibilities and respective capa- bilities.” Developed countries should take the lead because over many years they have contributed the most to the buildup of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Meaning- ful engagement of developing countries, especially the rapidly industrializing economies, is also needed. But re- quiring all countries to achieve the same percentage reduc- tion in the same time period would be unfair and, frankly, impossible. The developed countries put the carbon into the atmosphere to start with; they were the first to use the atmosphere as a carbon garbage dump. Thus, it is first and foremost the developed countries’ task to change their own behavior and help the world to adapt, while encouraging others — like China and India — to avoid the same bad habits and embark over time on a low-carbon path. This key issue — who has what responsibility, and when do those obligations kick in — is at the heart of the F O C U S F E B R U A R Y 2 0 0 8 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 17