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February 22, 2017

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Stop polluting the planet in name of development

Last November, the United Nations Climate Change Conference was held in Marrakesh, Morocco. Participants from all over the world came together to create a plan for implementing the 2015 Paris climate agreement.

It was an important step forward, but the issue remains far more complex than most would care to admit.

The global cooperation that has emerged lately is certainly welcome. But, while teamwork is critical to success, so is recognition of the distinct roles and responsibilities of governments in the industrialized and developing worlds.

The industrialized countries have long produced massive amounts of emissions and other kinds of pollution, while consuming a huge share of the world’s resources — including 90 percent of the world’s water — all in the name of their own development. As a result, these countries now enjoy high standards of living and food security.

The situation for developing countries is different. Not only have they contributed substantially less to climate change; they are also suffering its worst effects, including food shortages and the loss of livelihoods, brought about by increasingly extreme and frequent weather events like floods and droughts.

Africa is paying a particularly heavy price. Though the continent is responsible for only 4 percent of greenhouse-gas emissions, it is suffering more than any other continent from climate change, as rising temperatures, shifting seasons, and proliferating droughts deplete biodiversity, destroy ecosystems, and undermine security and stability.

Already, Africa has ten million “climate refugees.” If nothing is done, that figure will rise to almost 60 million in just three years.

The industrialized countries have pledged to support their developing-country counterparts, like those in Africa, in their effort to steel themselves against climate change.

But their promises are modest, relative to what is actually needed. Policymakers often tout “sustainable development,” but lack clear answers for how to achieve it. In many cases — Donald Trump being the most notable example — they seem determined to do just the opposite.

As it stands, economic power is being used as a political tool, wielded by leaders attempting to evade their global responsibilities. Trump has explicitly declared his intention to ignore the Paris agreement.

But, as the Marrakesh declaration emphasizes, success in mitigating climate change will require political commitment at the highest level. Moreover, climate action must take into account the special needs and context of developing countries, especially the least-developed economies and those most vulnerable to the effects of climate change.

With this in mind, the declaration demands greater efforts to eradicate poverty, ensure food security, and meet the agriculture challenges posed by climate change. And it calls for greater support for climate projects, including through capacity building and technology transfer from developed to developing countries.

Notwithstanding Trump’s reluctance, many countries seem to recognize the imperative to act. Participants in the Africa Action Summit, held on the sidelines of the Marrakesh conference, offered their own commitment to build an Africa that is resilient to climate change.

Moha Ennaji is President of the South North Center for Intercultural Dialogue and Migration Studies in Morocco. Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2017.www.project-syndicate.org




 

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