The most significant and largest gathering in United Nations (UN) history came to a halt Wednesday after climate change talks were temporarily suspended in Denmark’s capital. The two-week conference, which has been underway since December 7, witnessed what may be the start of conflict and chaos as Tuvalu walked out, bringing negotiations to a standstill.
The island, located midway between Hawaii and Australia in the Pacific Ocean, faces the severest effects of global warming due to its low-lying coastlines. With glaciers melting and sea levels rising, the country is being submerged underwater with growing threats of being drown out of existence if a legally binding agreement isn’t reached soon.
Developing Nations Accuse Developed Countries of “Climate Colonialism”
Conference president and Denmark’s former climate minister, Connie Hedegaard, had stressed COP15 as the best opportunity for world governments to unite and reach a mutual agreement on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions before time runs out.
“This is our chance,” stated Hedegaard in a cop15.dk interview. “If we miss it, it could take years before we get a new and better one—if we ever do.”
But as the clock ticks away in Copenhagen, tensions are rising between diplomats from the 192 nations present. The rift between the world’s rich and poor continues to widen as developing nations accuse developed nations of polluting their countries.
This accusation of “climate colonialism” follows after a text drawn by the Danish was leaked Tuesday, proposing industrialized and emerging countries to cut their carbon dioxide output in order to reduce global warming. The world’s poor argue that this agreement will only induce developed countries to emit twice as much carbon per head than those in poorer countries, who have not been responsible for the rise in air pollution.
Island nations such as Tuvalu, are the least accountable for climate change yet have been the most affected by its aftershocks. Refusing to let the actions of the wealthy wipe out what is left of their collapsing ecosystems, a small group of Pacific states have formed the Pacific Islands Forum and are pressing for a 45 percent cut in GHG emissions by 2020, and an 85 percent reduction by 2050. But most importantly, these islands along with several African nations are demanding an amendment to Article 18 of Kyoto to ensure it has “legal authority”.
Over the summer, top world leaders came together at a special one-day climate summit accompanying the G8 meeting in Italy, where it was agreed upon that global warming should be kept below two degrees centigrade. However, underdeveloped countries disagree, claiming any increase above 1.5 degrees would be detrimental to them. Convinced this would denote “certain death” for Africa, Lumumba Stanislaus Di-Aping, the Sudanese chief negotiator for the group of 77 (representing developing countries and China), protested the initial agreement announcing that the text robs developing nations of their “just and equitable and fair share of the atmospheric space.”
Tension Grows as Others Support Tuvalu’s Call to Action
The people of Tuvalu are not alone in their efforts to eradicate the ripple effects of global warming on their island. India, Japan, Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, Brazil, China, El Salvador, and Sweden (on behalf of the EU) have all come forward to stand united and take the required measures to safeguard the countries most severely affected by this pandemic.
“We support Tuvalu. There must be a unified outcome based on solid foundation,” said Jamaica. “We have a historical responsibility for strong help to developing countries,” reminded Brazil. “We need to adopt Annex B of Kyoto. Join 35 other countries who want a 45% reduction from the 1990 levels. Finish the work (of Kyoto),” pushed on China.
But it was Bolivia who was blatant in showing their support, weighing out the consequences of climate change and putting it into heightened perspective for the rich and poor alike. ”The largest share of GHG comes from developed countries. They have three quarters of the carbon emissions and less than 20% of population,” declared Angelika Navarro, Bolivia’s Ambassador to the UN. “Rich countries want to appropriate more than their fair share of the remaining atmosphere—the air we breathe on this earth. These countries have grown rich by GHG, in part. We must compensate those who’ve suffered the worst impact.”
Kiribati also announced Thursday that it would be joining Tuvalu in its plea to reach a legally binding agreement. The country’s foreign secretary and climate change spokesperson, Tessie Lambourne, said it was crucial to secure her country’s survival.
“As developed countries and major emitters are fighting over who should lead and who should follow there are people out there, like our people in Kiribati who are now paying,” she stated (Radio New Zealand International; Dec. 2009).
Some developed countries are refusing to comply, suggesting instead that a new “climate fund” administered by an international body to the poor could help counter the effects of global warming. But according to vulnerable countries like Tuvalu and Bangladesh, the numbers proposed by UK, Australia, Norway, and Mexico need to be much higher. The nations had offered to pay the poor world around £6 billion per annum from 2012 and £60 billion from 2010 to build flood defenses and other necessary climate adaption measures. This money would be raised from tax payers’ along with private investments.
Failure to Deliver Not an Option, Says Hedegaard
While a collective agreement is still pending, pressure among diplomats is becoming more and more apparent as the deadline nears. With the entire world united under one roof, the future of Planet Earth lies in the hands of these 192 nations. Hedegaard said it would be a major disappointment if countries leave the summit without reaching a mutual agreement on a matter that is in need of immediate attention.
“If the whole world comes to Copenhagen and leaves without making the needed political agreement, then I think it’s a failure that is not just about climate. Then it’s the whole global democratic system not being able to deliver results in one of the defining challenges of our century,” Connie Hedegaard told reporters in a Danish interview. “And that is and should not be a possibility. It’s not an option.”
Determined to steer the world “on the right track”, Hedegaard urges nations to capitalize on this “momentum now” and responsibly deliver on setting the groundwork to reduce future GHG emissions.
“If we don’t deliver in Copenhagen, then I cannot see when again you can build up a similar pressure on all the governments of this world to deliver,” says Hedegaard, adding that nations “should be very, very cautious not to miss the opportunity.”
There is no doubt the imminent deadline is giving countries something to think about. Governments are coming forward with their targets and delivering, understanding fully the consequences of missing this window of opportunity.
Tuvalu has already vowed to go climate neutral and establish an economy entirely driven by renewable sources by 2020. Countries such as New Zealand, Pakistan, Iceland, and Costa Rica also pledged their part in February 2008 by declaring that they would reduce their GHG emissions to zero in the next decade. Further, South Africa promised to cut 42 percent of GHG emissions by 2025, only if developed nations would expand financial aid to the poor countries and help them cope with the irreversible effects of climate change.
More Twists Expected as the COP15 Summit Continues
US President Obama is set to arrive for the last day of talks on December 18. His change of attendance was assumed to be a sign that countries were nearing a decision. However, after Tuvalu’s announcement Wednesday, following ongoing “climate colonialism” accusations, and speculations of a “climate fund” by the rich to compensate the poor drifting in the horizon, it is unclear when an outcome will be reached—if one at all.
Ranga Thangarajah - Ranga is a Canadian writer, blogger, and paramiographer extraordinaire. After earning her economics degree from the University of ...
Join the Conversation