As the world reeks under the influence of climate change and climate catastrophes become more intense and frequent, leaders from several developing and underdeveloped countries pointed out that wealthy governments and oil companies for driving global warming and demanded that they should pay for the damages.
The statements roared during the speeches at the 27th edition of the Conference Of Parties (COP27) underway in the resort city of Sharm-El-Sheikh in Egypt. “The oil and gas industry continues to earn almost 3 billion United States dollars daily in profits,” said Gaston Browne, Antigua’s prime minister said.
The prime minister of Pakistan told fellow leaders at this year’s U.N. climate meeting that it “rings an alarm bell for humanity” in a world being hit faster and harder by the impacts of global warming. Meanwhile, Nikenike Vurobaravu, the president of the island nation of Vanuatu, said it wanted the International Court of Justice to help ensure future generations’ rights were not being violated by nations lagging on climate change.
India has already pointed out that with climate finance still scarce, climate adaptation in the form of early warning is key in securing lives and livelihoods.
The comments by world leaders at COP27 reflected the tension in international climate negotiations between rich and poor states. Wealthy western countries tend to be the most vocal advocates of slashing emissions but are also the ones that have contributed the most greenhouse gases after more than a century of fossil fuel-driven industrialization.
Senegal’s President Macky Sall told the conference poor developing countries in Africa needed increased funding from wealthy nations for adaptation to worsening climate change and would resist calls for an immediate shift away from fossil fuels African countries need to expand their economies.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy used a video address to the U.N. climate talks Tuesday to accuse Russia of hampering international efforts against global warming with its invasion of Ukraine. Zelenskyy cited the damage caused by Russia’s attack on Ukraine’s environment, claiming it has led to the destruction of five million acres of forest
The hosts of the COP27 climate talks on Tuesday launched a global plan to help the world’s poorest communities withstand the impacts of global warming, including targets for sustainable farming, mangrove restoration to reduce coastal flooding, and access to clean cookstoves.
