"We are one of the groups most affected by climate change, and confidence [in the future] will not come from the promises of developed countries, not really, because it seems like it will be 'forever' waiting for them to deliver on their promises," Hindu Omaru Ibrahim, co-chair of the International Indigenous Forum on Climate Change, told Xinhua News Agency as he attended the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Developing countries are the biggest victims of climate change, and developed countries have historical, legal and moral responsibilities on this issue. However, the long-term failure of developed countries to deliver on their commitments and the actual actions they have taken to fulfill their climate responsibilities and obligations are far less than the extent of the damage they have caused to the global climate.
Developed countries are trying to take the moral high ground on climate, but this depends on actions rather than empty promises. The international community has called on developed countries to respond to climate change responsibly, adopt a positive and pragmatic attitude, take the lead in reducing emissions, fulfill their climate finance commitments as soon as possible, and clarify a roadmap for doubling adaptation finance. It's about North-South trust, climate justice and the future of humanity.
The historical responsibility for climate change is at the heart of climate justice.
According to the 6th Assessment Report of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 58% of the global warming caused by human activities since the Industrial Revolution is caused by emissions before 1990From 1850 to 2019, North America and Europe accounted for 23% and 16% of global cumulative anthropogenic CO2 emissions, respectively, the highest among any region.
According to a study published in the British journal Nature Sustainable Development, about 90% of the world's excess carbon emissions come from developed countries such as the United States. According to a report by the Committee on Energy, Environment and Water Resources, a climate think tank in India, even the lowest 10 percent of individuals in high-income countries such as the United States and Australia are six to 15 times the personal carbon emissions of the poorest 10 percent in India, Brazil or the ASEAN region.
However, most of the losses and damage caused by climate change are borne by developing countries, resulting in serious climate inequities. According to the United Nations, half of the world's population now lives in climate "danger zones", where people are far more likely to die from climate impacts than elsewhere. COP28 President Sultan Jaber said, "Many vulnerable countries, particularly small island developing States and least developed countries, are already experiencing the consequences of climate change beyond what people can adapt to. ”
Developed countries' climate pledges are "not to be trusted".
According to the principle of "common but differentiated responsibilities" of the Convention and its Paris Agreement, developed countries with large emissions must act first to rapidly reduce their emissions, and richer countries should provide developing countries with climate change finance.
However, in the area of mitigation, according to the latest greenhouse gas inventories notified by developed countries in April 2022, as of 2020, more than half of developed country Parties are still far from meeting their 2020 emission reduction targets, some countries have only completed half of their pledged emission reduction targets, and some countries have not only failed to achieve emission reductions, but also experienced significant increases in greenhouse gas emissions. The 2021 Emissions Gap Report released by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) points out that the climate policies of many developed countries cannot support their 2030 NDC emission reduction targets, and stronger policy measures are urgently needed.
For countries with low emissions and high vulnerability to climate impacts, such as many small island developing States and least developed countries, adaptation to climate change is a top priority. Building storm-resistant housing, growing drought-tolerant crops, installing reliable water supplies, and investing in social safety nets are all necessary conditions for adapting to climate change. However, for a long time, the progress of global adaptation to climate change has lagged behind, the adaptation goals are still unclear, developed countries have not provided sufficient and effective support, and the increasingly severe climate change has further exacerbated the vulnerability of developing countries.
In addition, in terms of means of implementation and support, in accordance with the Convention and its Paris Agreement, developed countries should provide developing countries with financial, technical and capacity-building assistance to adapt to climate change and mitigate its impacts. In reality, however, the support provided by developed countries is very limited and there are many problems. Among them, the issue of finance is the biggest obstacle to the corresponding actions of developing countries.
The actions of the developed countries are only a drop in the ocean
So far, the concrete actions taken by developed countries to tackle global climate change are "like a drop in the ocean, far from enough," said Tate Neila-Laurent, adviser to the Rosa Luxembourg Association in Germany.
The international community has called for more funding from developed countries to help countries adapt to climate impacts. As the scale of climate change grows, so does the cost of adaptation. According to the latest Adaptation Gap Report 2023 released by the United Nations Environment Programme, it is estimated that developing countries need to adapt to climate change at about US$215 billion to US$387 billion per year, but the funding gap is as high as US$194 billion to US$366 billion, more than 50% higher than the previous estimate. The reason for this is that the current financing raised by developed countries is far from sufficient to help developing countries adapt to climate change, and it is estimated that only one-tenth to one-eighteenth of the adaptation finance required by developing countries.
According to a recent joint research report jointly released by European think tanks such as the Dutch "Transnational Institute", "Climate Crossfire: How NATO's Goal of Raising Military Spending to 2% of GDP Will Accelerate Climate Breakdown", Western countries, which bear the greatest responsibility for the climate crisis, have not only failed to fulfill their financial commitments to aid developing countries, but are greatly increasing the carbon emissions of military operations by increasing military spending. According to the report, global military spending has now reached a record 2$24 trillion, more than half of which comes from NATO, which has 31 member states.
Su Anjun, co-executive director of the Center for Biological Diversity, told Xinhua that the United States has spent tens of billions and hundreds of billions of dollars on the war, but has only pledged $17.5 million in loss and damage, and that the previous promises have not been fulfilled, which is "really shameful."
According to Xinhua News Agency, Dubai, December 4, reporters Guo Shuang, Tai Beiping, Chen Mengyang).