Yvo de Boer, also known as the “Flying Dutchman”, is the executive secretary of the United Nations framework convention on climate change. Last Thursday NPR ran a story spotlighting the challenges facing de Boer. His job entails navigating the delicate balance between lobbying developed nations like the United States for “deep and meaningful cuts in its carbon dioxide emissions [while convincing] developing nations like China and India to step up too.” According to the report Mr. de Boer must convince wealthier nations to help pay for climate change related concerns in less developed nations.

One answer may be clean energy projects in these countries. Wired magazine’s blog recently featured “5 Huge Green-Tech Projects in the Developing World“. The five projects include a Filipino geothermal plant, two Indian projects (a wind farm and a solar thermal plant), a Chinese photovoltaic installation, and a planned wind farm for a yet undisclosed location in China.

• Leyte Geothermal Field
• Suzlon Wind Farm
• Acme Solar Thermal Plants
• Qaidam Basin Solar PV Installaton
• Econcern Wind Farms

In Thomas Kostigen’s book, You are Here, he says that nations like China claim to be at a disadvantage when held to Kyoto Protocol style mandates. These mandates stipulate (OR These stipulations require) a reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of approximately 5% below 1990 levels. Some developing nations consider this restrictive and unfair. In his book, Kostigen writes, “China says limiting its emissions, or the pollution stemming form its industrial sector, puts it in an unfair position in the world marketplace. After all, it says the United States did not have restrictions on its carbon emissions when it grew into an industrial superpower.” This backward looking approach does not advance the clean energy economy.

Projects like the five mentioned above demonstrate the viability of renewable energy in developing nations, which may be setting the standard for such ventures. Not only must the United States and industrialized countries lead the charge, but those countries that have yet to develop their nonrenewable energy based infrastructure are at a great advantage. They can invest in renewable energy installations and are not beholden to finite energy sources. The technology and opportunities to lay the foundation of a clean energy future have arrived. All nations can implement sustainable, local energy projects that are regionally appropriate. Solar in the the Western United States and wind in the Central Plains represent two viable solutions to ween America off nonrenewable energy supplies. The time to act is now.

- Eric Wilson