Here we go again. Thursday it was India that joined the ranks of developing economies to announce significant cuts in greenhouse gas emissions in advance of the United Nations climate change discussions that begin in Copenhagen today.

So where is Thailand? When are we going to demonstrate any seriousness about our role in reducing emissions? After all, scientists warn that we're poised to receive a disproportionate share of the impact of global climate change. Our shores and coastal communities will be significantly impacted if the world as a whole does not start embarking on a major CO2 diet. Bangkok in particular will face major problems from flooding and sea level rise but, so far, hardly a word from our nation's leaders who reside here.

Bangkok residents produced as much carbon dioxide (CO2) as New Yorkers and surpassed Londoners in their emissions. Both Bangkok and New York emitted 7.1 tons per capita in 2007. Bangkok's emissions were higher than that of London's residents, at 5.9 tons per capita, according to the Bangkok Assessment Report on Climate Change 2009, released today.

In 2005, Bangkok's total emissions of 43m tons almost equaled London and surpassed Toronto (44m tons and 24m tons, respectively). As rising greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), such as carbon dioxide (CO2), are primary contributors of warming temperatures, the likely consequences on the city, already prone to flooding and land subsistence, will be severe. Bangkok and its suburbs are already experiencing more severe and frequent flooding and more days with temperatures beyond 35 ํC.

Last week quite a bit of criticism fell on a government plan to accelerate the introduction of 85-per-cent ethanol fuel to petrol stations countrywide.

Leading auto-makers were frustrated, saying the tax incentives offered were much too weak to encourage them to ramp up production of cars that can run on E85.

Without such cars, where would the ethanol-fuel demand come from?

It is the unwillingness of the government to address the lack of demand for ethanol that would impede a shift by consumers to embrace it, said critics