If fossil technology is locked in for the developing world, with its growing energy needs (IEA, 2011), then even if high-income countries achieve more rapid decarbonization, the deleterious environmental effects will nevertheless be shared by all for longer. Conversely, once carbon is penalized, however, existing investment in CO2-emitting energy types may need to be trashed (Stern, 2012), thus wasting the scarce capital of developing countries.

In a global perspective, where energy demand goes unsatisfied in poorer or energy — hungry regions, or the water supply (often intertwined with energy) is imperilled (G-Science Academies, 2012), social unrest and political instability could result (Lee et al., 2012).

Energy planning decisions made now will threaten or support the economic future of developing countries; oil-price volatility, for example, will affect them in proportion to their reliance on diesel and heavy fuel oil (Yepez-Garcia and Dana, 2012). Conversely, even the shortest refuelling interval of proposed SMR designs (14 months, with an upper range of 10 to 30 years for sealed-unit designs), would protect them from fuel-price volatility (IAEA, 2012). Nevertheless, long-term fuel-supply contracts, with a limited number of suppliers globally, could present multifaceted challenges for developing countries (IAEA INPRO DF3, 2011).

Finally, timing is a crucial factor because of the overlap of climate, economic and social pressures (IEA, 2011). The less able, because of polluting energy choices, developing countries are to meet CO2-reduction targets, the more responsibility they will have to assume for increased climate change, and the greater burden will fall on them and on developed countries to curtail emissions in order to compensate.