Its al little more nuanced than what you just sketched;
First off: the word amusing is easily derived from this phrase you said earlier, I quote:
"...because it's what so many jaded, disillusioned people want to read; something about someone worse or worse off than themselves. Thats why people watch soap operas like Eastenders, etc in the UK; to see people living trashy lives. I don't understand it but it's huge."
Well thats amusement of others people hardship or miserable demise or whatever you call it. Soaps amuse people, its not intellectual food, but it is amusing food for people to absorb.
Second: I don't deny these countries their right to develop. (because they have every right to obtain the same living standards as we have here in Western Europe).
But at least do it wisely since the world is being milked from its not so widely available resources. If this continues in the future by emerging economies/countries that are not that sophisticated in their efforts to sustain the ecological environment we live in, it will be desastrous for the whole world by our faults made in early history!
Its should be obvious for you to understand that the advanced nations need to educate the least advanced nations in order to not make the same mistake we are making today...fortunately with a late transitioning to lower carbon emissions, solar power, wind energy, LNG Energy, Electric cars ( for the environment friendly owners, not DD of Dubai
).
Since there are corporations with a huge carbon footprint nowadays (which Western technology is now able to measure) like in the US of A and in China/India etc (growing and spoiling natural resources abundantly), it is wise for us, THE WORLD, to take personal responsibility, otherwise regions such as Bangladesh, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, the US, you name it will feel the consequences of a rising sea level due to global warming.
Its a phenomenon not to deny, bcause its there and its measured and the effects are clearly visible in climate change effects during winters and summers in Europe. Also there has been a study that shows that storms over the world control temperature corrections in certain climates and these gradients are becoming larger. That means more tornado's, twisters and other destructive natural phenomenons. They get intenser and are growing in occurance.
If the world doesn't respond now and improve for the better, we all have to suffer from it, and guess who suffers the most when we don't do shit? Thats right, the poorest countries in the world.
So, its up to the savvy minds like Al Gore and Bill Clinton to persuade all these leaders in the world to actually commit to some form of compensation for emitted carbon dioxide from factories, by building new forests and buy emission rights, that can be used to emit more than regulated, but with a penalty that is used for enhanced technology to filter carbon emission from the air, etc.
The list goes on and on what we have to do to make our world sustainable. We are now only extracting from it, all of its resources. This is unsustainable. Education is key to survive TOGETHER with the poorest nations and emerging countries.
You and I can start, by closing the lightswitch when we leave a room. Put out the TV instead of all night on Stand By. Electricity plants are HUGE CO2 emitters. They burn fossil fuels like gas to create steam. It also deprives us from clean water, as this is used for generating the steamturbines in order to create electricity.
Its a vicious circle that has to be changed for the better. The question for you is; Are you willing to participate? We either do it WITH or Without you. The final transition will just be harder to deal with eventually.
And third and final:
Sure I will come to Dubai, but not for becoming an ignorant a$$. I'm doing it for the better for me and my environment, like I always do within some limits set by myself.
