China and India put Earth under threat

China and India are poised to become world leaders in sustainable energy, but their growth could threaten the Earth.

According to The Worldwatch Institute's State of the World 2006 report if the two emerging countries were to consume as much resources per capita as Japan in 2030 "together they would require a full planet Earth to meet their needs."

"The world's ecological capacity is simply insufficient to satisfy the ambitions of China, India, Japan, Europe and the United States as well as the aspirations of the rest of the world in a sustainable way," the report said.

However, the environmental group praised the two countries for their energy innovations that could enable them to "become world leaders in sustainable energy and agriculture within a decade," the BBC reported.

China already has a solar-powered heating system that supplies hot water to 35 million homes, while India has pioneered a system bringing clean water from rainfall, UPI reports.

V.Y.