COP–27, elusive commitments

A recent report by the United Nations World Meteorological Organisation claims that the last eight years have never been as hot as before. Since 2016 average temperature of the earth has been increasing continuously and the world is facing an irreversible climate chaos. UN Secretary General told it ahead of the beginning of COP-27 held in Egypt.

Leaders of more than 120 countries gathered at Sharm-al-Sheikh, a Red Sea resort of Egypt. 30,000 people participated in the conference. New UN climate change chief Simon Stiell, alongwith COP-27 president and Egyptian foreign minister Sameh Shoukry, delivered inaugural speech. Simon Stiell in his speech called for implementation of the commitments made last year and urged to move towards massive transformation which must happen.

The 13-day (6th to 18th November, 2022) conference began by declaring a historic moment for the world to take action to prevent climate change. The main point was to reach an agreement not only to prepare for the future effects of climate change but also to discuss financial assistance and compensation to help poor countries overcome the damage they have already suffered due to climate change. This is the first time that this controversial issue has been included in agenda since the first climate conference held in Berlin in 985.

It was committed that every year developed countries will give 100 billion financial aid to developing countries to combat climate change. That commitment of 2009 has never been fulfilled whereas the impact of climate change has been multiplied. So, in COP- 27 there were demand for at least 6 to 11 times of the proposed amount of financial assistance from developed countries. In the first week of the talks India, on behalf of affected countries, clarified that according to the Paris Agreement financial and technical assistance from developed countries are essential to implement the carbon emission reduction target set by developing countries.

According to statistics of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) rich countries collected $ 52.5 billion in 2013, by 2015 it was $ 44.6 billion and $ 83.3 billion upto 2020 but it the amount never came close to committed $ 100 billion mark. This gap needs to be filled immediately and the amount of annual financial assistance for future should be reconsidered. Developed countries have relied heavily on private sector for finance but that was not the way. Government aid could be an important tool in preventing climate change. Duplicity of the developed world has also become evident to affected countries.

In fact, due to such bargaining between the developed world (global north) and the developing world (global south) on climate debate the main question has been largely neglected. Undeniably, carbon emission in global north is much higher than in the rest of the world. Yet, the developed world continuously blames the global south’s over-reliance on fossil fuel for environmental pollution and consistently deny their historical responsibility. Conflict between development and environment is eternal. In view of this, India made it clear in COP-26 that complete avoidance of fossil fuel is not possible and opted for gradual reduction in its consumption. On behalf of affected countries India proposed in COP-27 to phase out the use of all fossil fuels, not only coal and putting more pressure on the developed world to build infrastructure to face the impact of environmental disasters. So, the wheel of climate politics is turning. This is the only hope standing in the face of t abyss.

According to the United Nations climate research report, the world is not in a position to maintain the temperature within 1.5 degrees Celsius at this moment. Due to adverse effects of climate change, various natural disasters have occurred frequently in last year. The report also says that since COP-26 governments of different countries frustratingly could not show any progress in curbing carbon emission. In this situation, it is only possible to avoid disaster if the society is transformed on an urgent basis.

A number of commitments were made at the COP-26 in Glasgow last year. These are: 1. Step by step reduction of coal consumption, 2. Stop deforestation by 2030, 3. Reducing methane gas emissions by 30per cent by 2030, 4. Submitting a new climate action plan to the United Nations. Money is needed to make commitments real. . Developing countries want fulfillment of the commitments made by developed countries not only to face the future impacts of climate change, but also to discuss financial assistance to overcome the damages they have already suffered due to climate change.

Around 200 countries of the world joined this conference to deal with the disastrous effects of climate change in a world ravaged by war and economic instability. Climate change disasters have already killed thousands, displaced millions and caused billions of dollars damage. Massive floods in Pakistan and Nigeria, severe droughts in Africa and the western United States, cyclones in the Caribbean and unprecedented heat waves across three continents have shaken the world.

Attending the 13-day conference United Nations chief Antonio Guterres said, "Report after report presents a clearer and darker picture of climate change." He said, "The COP 27 conference must now take much faster and bolder steps to combat climate change in this crucial decade. We will either win or lose this global

climate change war." Failure in this fight will be a collective suicide – he added. Specifically, this fight means limiting global warming to 1.5°C above late 19th century levels (1.2°C) and reducing greenhouse emissions by 45per cent by 2030. Warming beyond this threshold could push the earth into an uninhabitable hothouse, scientists warn.

If current trends continues, carbon pollution will increase by 10 per cent by the end of the decade and global warming will increase by 2.8 degrees Celsius, according to a research report published in early November, 2022. If the commitments made under the Paris Agreement are implemented, the temperature increase will be reduced by only a few tenths of a degree. 988

The writer is a former Commissioner of Taxes. He can be contacted at chinmayprasunbiswas@yahoo.com