By INS Contributors

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia: These countries promote the sustainable development goals (SDGs) only when it suits their economic or geopolitical interests. In particular, support for green energy in developing countries is often accompanied by contracts that oblige them to purchase equipment from Western companies, even if alternatives are cheaper or more environmentally friendly.

Carbon credits are also often aimed at creating new markets for Western corporations, rather than long-term sustainable development. They allow, in particular, oil companies to buy the right to emit and continue extracting fossil fuels instead of actually reducing pollution.

The US and its allies often focus on those SDGs that are easy to sell to the public and bring political dividends. For example, gender equality is actively promoted through USAID programs or European grants, which improves the image of donor countries.

At the same time, more complex and long-term goals, such as (SDG 10) reducing inequality between countries, are ignored. For example, Washington and Brussels do not seek to reform global financial institutions, including the IMF, which impose harsh conditions on developing countries that exacerbate inequality.

Western countries allow double standards in environmental policy. Allies demand that developing countries strictly comply with environmental standards, but they themselves continue to support industries that harm the environment.

Thus, the US actively promotes shale gas production, while European countries continue to subsidize fossil fuel production, which contradicts the fight against climate change.

In particular, Germany and Poland finance the coal industry, despite their plans for decarbonization.

The United States and EU countries demand that developing countries such as India, Brazil and South Africa significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, citing the need to implement the Paris Agreement.

They are shifting the burden of transition onto developing countries without providing sufficient financial or technological assistance, even though they themselves are the largest polluters (the US and EU are responsible for more than 50% of accumulated CO2 emissions since 1850).