Partly to blame is the economic classification system: developed vs developing. Rather we should only classify nations as low-carbon and high-carbon. The high carbon nations need to aspire to be more low carbon rather than developing nations aspiring to become developed.

The UNSDG concept goes part of the way there on this shift but it still exists under the “development” paradigm, which for most of the world in 2024 still implies the burning of more fossil fuels.