Who is to blame for global warming?

This year has seen natural disasters around the globe, some of which have been attributed to global warming.

Floods in Bangladesh, drought in China and unusual storms in Europe have all affected the lives of thousands of people.

And if this has been caused by global warming, whose fault is it?

Are companies to blame, should governments be taking more responsibility or is it up to each individual to play their part?

This debate is now closed. Read a selection of your comments below.

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Your reaction

Always blame America. Even when you are wrong you are right.
T.J. Cassidy, USA

It is the lack of collective environmental consciousness that is responsible for environmental degradation including global warming

Anuj Rikhye, India - presently Canada

I would suggest that it is the lack of collective environmental consciousness that is responsible for environmental degradation including global warming. Also it is wrong to blame the western nations for causing enough environmental pollution to cause global warming. China and India being the second and third largest economies in the world have also played their part. However unlike in the west, where environmental consciousness is widespread and overall all cities have bearable pollution levels, the same can not be said about India. Having been a resident of Delhi, I have seen all environmental rules being flouted by unscrupulous businessmen and conniving government agencies.
Anuj Rikhye, India - presently Canada

The culprits behind global warming are USA and other European developed countries. It seems ridiculous that USA wants to plant trees on other parts of the world to get its name out of the list. Since USA alone releases almost half of the world's co2 emissions, it should play a serious role for the betterment of the environment. USA should remember that it is located on EARTH cannot escape from any environmental disaster.
Khalid Jamil Khateeb, Australia

It is impossible to predict the consequences. But we certainly shouldn't wait and find out

Nitin Gadia, USA

Energy corporations have spent millions in public relations campaigns, especially targeting media and governmental institutions. This is why we hear so little about the increasing threat of Global Warming. There is no debate among scientists as to whether Global Warming does or does not exist. The question is, under current exponential growth, what consequences are we going to have to face? How much flooding and drought will there be? It is impossible to predict the consequences. But we certainly shouldn't wait and find out. Hopefully, we will be forced to change. By 2012, OPEC expects the worldwide oil supply to begin diminishing. If we were better informed by those who are supposed to inform us, the attitude regarding the situation would be a lot different. Little do we know this is the single most urgent crisis facing the world.
Nitin Gadia, USA

I agree with Miko Toivonen: we would all do it if we could, but the West can and does. Here in Los Angeles, when I look at the rudimentary public transport system and the oceans of privately-owned cars on a network of freeways through the town, the solution is clear: state regulation of fossil fuel access and heavily subsidised public transport. But this may just buy us time. We are doomed by our own greed, for which there is no cure.
Adam Nayyar, Pakistan/USA

May sound crazy, but no one is responsible for global warming. It has happened due to the ignorance of science. But now it's greed and helplessness not to control it. Still machines which affect the ozone layer are easily available, for which developed countries are partially responsible for dumping their old technology in the third world.
Ashish, USA

Whether Global Warming is man caused or due to natural causes, and whether Global Warming is actually harmful or not is a moot point. But most of the environment related problems are due to industrial revolution and greedy capitalists.
Amit Kumar, India

The main culprit is of course greed under a general name

Mikko Toivonen, Finland

The main culprit is of course greed under a general name. More specifically we can directly blame Green parties and action groups for preventing sensible energy source development and usage in favour of using fossil materials. In this respect they have played into the pockets of multinational oil and coal giants. Those giants have no environmental conscience. Their conscience is money. In Asia particularly, the burning of rain forests has caused immeasurable damage to the environment and global climate deterioration. Whoever is responsible for burning down the high carbon content rainforests is to blame.
Mikko Toivonen, Finland

The developed countries of the world account for over 75% of the world's greenhouse gas releases. Those countries should make strict laws regarding environmental pollution.
Vikas, USA/ India

Global warming is a fact. There is no doubt that the earth is warming up. Global summits are useless. The greed of companies is to blame for this as governments are actually powerless and not willing to go through with the changes that are necessary. However, the most ironic thing is that research and development in the private sector will ultimately solve this problem.
Mohammaed Khan, Canada