Should we let the red white and blue lead the green drive

I, as mentioned before, am a subscriber to TIME magazine.  The copy from last week contained and article that basically expounded how the USA (the war machine that it is) can effectively lead the world in terms of climate change. The author(s) speak about various initiatives that are being done by the state of California for example. While I agree that these initiatives are absolutely fantastic and that there must be a drive towards these and even more solutions, I really believe that the USA (while a really big part of the problem) is still only a part of the problem.

Globally we need to see trends towards greener solutions increasing, we need to see the dependence on fossil fuels reducing and reducing rapidly.  We need to be mindful that we do not get caught up with finding only bio fuel solutions as these do not necessarily offer long term viable solutions. 

Ironically the economies in India and China are fast becoming the major contributors (directly) to the global warming phenomenon. The USA consumer demand for these products is the major fuel for their continued development drive. I would love to see the Chinese and Indian authorities moving their industries, in increasing measures, toward greener and more responsible outputs, this would then change the USA.  It would be great to see the rest of the world lead the USA (even if it is kicking and screaming) into a new greener world.

We cannot accept that we need to USA to lead the world in these initiatives, it is too easy to say that they are the global leaders and therefore shape the way forward. Are we as the rest of the world going to continue to allow the USA to drive global policy, sure that are a large economy, but we need to take responsibility for the state of the planet and then move on ideas that will improve the situation.