It is now beyond scientific doubt that the emissions of greenhouse gases need to be reduced significantly to prevent dangerous interference in the climate system and avoid dramatic consequences of global warming. The debate on how to do this has largely centred on achieving the reductions in a cost-effective manner. Doing so on an equitable basis that takes account of past historic emissions and their development consequences have been given much less attention. It is the existing stock of emissions rather than anticipated future fl ows that must weigh more heavily in the design of more equitable solutions to the climate challenge.

2 p. : graphs