[throwaway599281]

And are also the leading countries promoting cleaner alternatives to all human activites.

What you're missing is that if underdeveloped countries were even capable of reaching the same stage of development we and East Asian countries enjoy, they would contribute as much, and that is actually their goal.

[geraneum]

No matter how you try to warp the logic or the reality of the situation and regardless of the country or culture, the responsibility of dealing with the effects of climate change (or anything else) should be proportional to the contribution that each nation makes.

Sure if any country starts to contribute more, they should also take more responsibility.

You cannot for example tax someone on the amount of money that they hypothetically can have or want to have which you even claim they are not even capable of having.

[triceratops]

> And are also the leading countries promoting cleaner alternatives to all human activites.

So are they going to give all those away for free to poor countries? And also pay for massive programs to recapture the carbon they've already emitted? And mitigate already-locked-in effects of climate change, such as drought and extreme weather? Those are the only conditions under which your "why don't they improve their own countries" suggestion is fair.