A new model for carbon cuts has been proposed by the researchers at the Princeton Environmental Institute. The model targets the rich and the developed nations of the world, which produce the major chunk of carbon. Theories applied for the development of the model states that people who are rich and earn more generate more CO2. According to the model, the country which has more number of carbon emitters has to put in more effort to reduce carbon. The researchers conducted a two year study and established a very strong relationship between income and emission.

Shoibal Chakravarty, a research scholar at Princeton Environmental Institute, said...

By and large for every 10 percent increase in income, the emissions from a certain person go up about six to 10 percent. This is true pretty much everywhere in the world.

The results are based on the data from national statistical offices and the World Bank. People tend to satisfy their basic needs first like that of transportation, heating, cooling and the like. But if they have ample money they tend to spend it on other unnecessary goods. The production of these goods requires energy and hence, produces emissions. This necessitates reduction in the carbon output. There should be fair national targets to reduce the carbon emissions, and these should be based on the energy efficiency of the nations. According to the report, Japan is about 2 times more energy efficient when compared to United States.

North vs. South:

The developed nations are reluctant towards adopting the model as they are seeking some commitment from the developing nations as well. The developing nations are defending themselves by saying that the prosperous nations should shoulder the burden of the cuts as they are responsible for carbon emission in a bigger way.
Some nations have already started working on it and have set up some promising goals. Scotland leading them all has set a reduction target of 42 percent on 1990 levels by 2020. European Union has also agreed to cut down carbon by 20 percent compared to the same year.

For the developing nations, they are absolved for the time being as per their needs to burn fossil fuels. But, in say, 20 to 30 years as they become wealthier, their share in curbing the carbon emissions would increase considerably. The report aims at maintaining the current carbon levels even as far as 2030.

The Present scenario:

China has been exempted from the list as of now as it does not have a high number of emitters. Middle east and Russia have to do some work as emission per person is high in these regions. Also, United States, Australia and Canada have to work hard when compared to Europe.

What the Report suggests?

The report does not want nations to force their highest emitters reduce their carbon output, but suggest an alternative path. They proposed the strategy of stabilization wedges which would help curtail global emission for over five decades. The consideration of the model by the policy makers can not be predicted but the authors are positive that the method will prove its worth in allocation rules. Leaders from various countries will meet in Copenhagen in December to replace the Kyoto agreement and then the validity of the model will be evaluated.