Other developing countries worry about the cost of rapidly turning to sustainable energy, when they have massive social obligations to their country’s poor citizens. Worryingly, others again see climate change as a bogey used by the West to usurp control over the world’s energy markets or at best to try to put breaks on the dizzyingly rapid double-digit growth some developing countries are experiencing today. China, for example, appears to be convinced that the West wants to cap its growth, using the argument that the Asian giant’s huge manufacturing output comes on the back widespread environmental destruction in order to raise import barriers against cheap Chinese goods.

The U.S. war on terror has left in its wake a lot of fear, distrust and even paranoia among large swathes of developing countries. They fear that in this new global battle for control of resources, they are likely to loose out. For many developing countries the world is now a very dangerous, uncertain and complex place, where the big Western powers are in command and constantly finding new ways to control, masked behind concerns for the environment, democracy, free trade and human rights.

But the reality of climate change is real for rich as well as poor nations. Take the case of South Africa. An influential report, “The State of Energy in SA Cities,” recently released by a local environmental organisation, Sustainable Energy Africa, says large cities in South Africa, such as Johannesburg, release per capita carbon emissions levels of an average 6.5 tons, close to developed cities like London. Transport is to blame for close to half of energy consumption. South Africa, like many developing countries, has high levels of carbon emissions because it largely uses so-called “dirty fuel” such as coal to generate most of its energy.

At the same time, a large proportion of South Africans – at some estimates around 25% of all households – do not have access to affordable energy, let alone clean energy. Developing countries are often reluctant to penalise large corporations who waste energy, because they need the investments and jobs these companies bring to their citizens. Sadly, official South African efforts to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and increase use of renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar which are in abundance, are moving at a snail’s pace. The South African government is now considering making huge investments in biofuels as an alternative. But there are many pitfalls. For example, many developing countries that have embarked on that route have seen increasing deforestation of their rainforests, displaced production of staple foods needed by the poor, and in other instances even substantially raised prices of staple foods.

Yet developing countries must find ways to roll out cheap energy to previously disadvantaged communities in ways that are environment friendly. At the same time, they must use more renewable energy sources, introduce regulations that compel households and companies to become more energy efficient and cut the use of fossil fuels, by getting more people to use public transport. It is crucial for the developing world that they gain assistance from Western nations, international organisations such as the World Bank and United Nations, to secure equitable international climate change policies around the world.

The burden to reduce climate change cannot fall disproportionately on developing countries. Nevertheless, climate change is not a problem only for the U.S.; it should be an overriding concern to every country, rich and poor, and every individual.