Blog: Seeking Climate Justice @ COP15
I’ve known about the concept of ‘climate justice’ and totally agreed with its ideals. It’s not just about justice to me, it’s about logic. Developed nations emit far more greenhouse gas emissions than developing nations (even if some developing nations like China or India are only now increasing theirs) - so it makes perfect sense that rich countries therefore face the biggest responsibility and burden for action to address climate change; and must support developing nations adapt to avoid further excessive pollution through financing and/ technology transfer. After all the developing countries have things like poverty, education, HIV/AIDS and those sort of things to deal with already.
But experiencing these past few days at the COP15 conference has helped me to not only truly understand climate justice, but believe that it’s an action that needs to happen now. For the past three days, I’ve been attending discussion panels and plenary meetings, dealing with Climate Change issues, hearing developing world nation’s response to the subject. I heard the passion and heart-ache in many Island dwellers' speeches. The shocking reality that if change and action doesn’t take place now, islands like Micronesia, Tuvalu, New Caledonia and many more (not forgetting the UK is an island in threat too, but we don’t seem to be too bothered about this at the negotiations…) will literally not exist in approximately 100 years or so. Climate Change will have practiced genocide, obliterating an entire nation, culture and unique group of human beings…
And yes, there were side events that gave developing nations most at threat a chance to voice their fears and needs, but in general, developed nations weren’t REALLY listening to them in the negotiations. However, after the scandal of the Danish Text (a secret draft agreement worked on by a group of individuals known as "the circle of commitment" - but understood to include the UK, US and Denmark; a document handing more power to rich nations, sideline the UN's negotiating role and abandon the Kyoto protocol), developing nations are obviously furious and finally have taken a stand that can’t be ignored by the world.
They want action, real action. No underhanded deal will distract them from their nations being eradicated by climate change, so negotiations were temporarily suspended at the request of Tuvalu - to give delegates time to resolve a dispute over climate goals behind the scenes; several island nations and developing African countries had said they want a maximum temperature rise goal of 1.5 degrees celcius, and atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations stabilised at 350 parts per million, while developed countries and fast-growing developing nations like China, India and South Africa want a goal of 450 parts per million.
Many believe that the Danish text was leaked at this time as a planned strategy to delay negotiations around this scandal, and split the united voices of developing world countries into those that are 100% fighting for the climate future of their nations, and those that are choosing to focus more on the development of their nations.
In my opinion, yes, these conspiracy theories may be true, but I feel like we shouldn’t be focusing on this, because then the conspiracy would have worked. We need to emphasise the point that finally, those that have been below the radar are practicing their power and passionately fighting for climate justice.
Words: Yumna Martin
flickr photo from user - Steve Rhodes






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