When you reach the top of the pyramid, the air is a lot cleaner than on the lower levels. The folks living at the top enjoy the very best our civilization has to offer, but a fact often overlooked is that those staying at the lower levels are much more numerous and are trying hard to elevate themselves to a higher status. During that process, however, they are polluting the atmosphere heavily. On the other hand, those living in developed countries have no right to tell them to cut down on pollution, because that would mean halting their progress. Plus, you risk being called a hypocrite.

A large part of the pollution done in developing countries is due to cars and their ancient engines which guzzle fuel like crazy and leave behind a cloud of noxious agents. Of course, burning wood, or agricultural waste, are 2 processes that have a lot to answer for. Diesel emissions combined with the latter elements are responsible for nearly 2 million premature death annually, especially in the poorest of countries.

International agreements are registering little progress in coming to a solution on this matter. This is one reason why, according to The New York Times, Secretary of State Hilary Clinton is spearheading a movement that will attempt to actually do something in that regard, at least as cars are concerned. Other countries and organizations that have joined this are Canada, Mexico, Ghana, Bangladesh, Sweden and the UN Environmental Program.

The plan deals with pollutants that have a relatively small lifespan, like methane, hydrofluorocarbons and soot, because they can actually be influenced immediately, unlike CO2. These elements are responsible for approximately 30-40 percent of the global warming phenomenon.
Among the first steps taken there will be one that will concern old diesel cars. Unlike Europe, or the US, developing countries have almost nothing to stand in the way of old cars that heavily pollute the environment.

Therefore, a program to install filters on diesels will be undertaken.
Furthermore, in order to reduce soot emissions even more, various means of collecting methane gas from piles of dung, leaky pipes, and so on, can be implemented, together with prohibiting the open burning of agricultural waste, as well as replacing old cookstoves with newer ones. Other actions have been devised by scientists that will have a positive effect on the local environment and economy.

Why the economy? With cleaner air the people will be healthier while rainfall will be stabilized, leading to improved crops. On the short and long run, the developing countries that will apply these measures will be the main beneficiaries. If this initiative catches on, perhaps the stereotype saying that the western world moves only when immediate profit is involved, will be dispelled, partially at least.

Right now, the US will provide 12 million dollars and Canada 3 million to start the program and convince other countries to join.
The initiative has every chance to be a success, seeing that effects will be relatively quick to manifest, and the progress of the developing countries will not be affected in a negative way.