Poli%cs of climate change:

The divide between the developed and developing world regarding

the reduc4on of carbon emission.
Developed world or Global North: US, Canada, Europe
Developing World or Global South: Asia, Africa, South America

Divide from COP (Conference of Par,es) -1 to COP 20 – (1994-2014)

The stance of the developed world led by US and UK: Climate change
is a global problem. Higher carbon emission has increasingly
threatened the world habitat due to the rise in temperature. For which
major emiTers of developed world and developing world are equally
responsible. China the world largest carbon emiTer for about 35%
world carbon emission is contributed by China (UNFCCC), US the
second largest carbon emiTer- for about 15 % carbon emission, India
is the 3rd largest carbon emiTer almost 9% carbon. Europe 4th largest
emiTer, emiZng almost 9% carbon, then Russian, Saudi Arabia, Japan,
Australia etc. there are 38 countries which are exceeding carbon quota
limit. Therefore, it is Global responsibility to make carbon cuts. Both
Developed and developing bust ini4ate carbon cuts simultaneously.

The stance of the developing world led by China and India: Global
south is not equally responsible for carbon emission as compare to the
Global North. Developed world has been pollu4ng the environment
for the past 150 years. More than 65 % of the overall emission is made
by developed world. Coal burning, oil consuming, gas consuming is
done by developed world for running industries, transport and
domes4c use. Emission from the developing world is a recent
phenomenon. Industrializa4on in China is the phenomena of 1980s
and 1990s. Industrializa4on in India is 1990s and onward phenomena.
Industrializa4on in South Africa and Brazil is 1990s. These countries
become major emiTers since 1980s and onward. Hence developing
world. Developed world must ini4ate carbon cuts but must have to
give enough 4me to the developing world to make carbon cuts and
shid to green energy. Developed world has already aTained socio-
economic satura4on while the developing of the developing world is
recently started. Developed world has both financial and technological
capaci4es to shid on to clean energy, and developing world must be
given enough 4me to shid onto clean energy.

COP 21 and the North- South divide: COP 21 and Paris Climate
agreement 2015, the first ever binding agreement. All the major
emiTers from the developed and developing world agreed on the
carbon cut plan. US gave its own carbon cut off plan, it agreed to
reduce carbon emission by 45% by 2030 against 2006 level. Europe
also agreed to make almost the same cuts or follows the plans of US.
China agreed on 40% cuts by 2030 against the 2006 level. India, South
Africa, Brazil and other countries all gave carbon cut off plan. Not only
countries but also almost 23 mul4-na4onal companies gave a carbon
cut off plan.
US under the leadership of Obama decided to lead to Global effort
against climate change. US adopted the decarboniza4on policies on
Na4onal level.
1. New coal projects were banned.
2. More restric4ons on Oil and Gas projects.
3. Steps to reduce chlorofluorocarbons
4. More to clean energy projects like solar projects, wind projects,
electric cars.
Us decided to lead the world from the front. Obama (Ex-President of
US) paid visits to China, India, South Africa, Brazil, Japan, Saudi Arabia
etc. to make them agree on carbon cuts. Obama Along with his
secretary of state John Carry played leading role in making COP 21 as
a binding agreement.

China decided to make the required carbon cuts.

Interna4onal pressure pressurized China to agree to make the carbon
cut as China do not wants to claim itself as developed world while it is
the economically sound country, counted one of the world largest
exporters. Technologically it is well equipped, world largest solar panel
producer and exporter, one of the leaders of wind projects. Under
local pressure, local people of China pressurized Beijing to change its
carbon policies. Increasing Carbon emission became a serious
breathing problem for the local people in China. Smog became a
serious issue. The leader ship of Xi Jing Ping was responsible for the
change in Chinese policies. China has become increasingly Global
power as it is one of the largest exporters with a high economy
worldwide. Therefore, China should have to shoulder Global
responsibility by making carbon cuts and helped other countries to
have carbon cuts. One of the major dimensions of Belt and road
ini4a4ve is clean energy projects.

India, Europe and Australia also agree on carbon cut of plan because
of interna4onal pressure as well and Environmental pressure. With
that increasingly financial crisis.

COP 26 and the failure of major emiTers to meet the carbon cut off
plan:
In COP 21 (Paris climate agreement) – 15 years carbon cut off plan was
given from 2015 -2030. Ader every 5 years each major emiTer was
supposed to present the progress report. In COP 26, Glasgow Scotland,
it was found that no single major emiTer did not meet the provided
carbon cut plan.
US missed the target with huge margin: Trump (Ex- President of US)
Pulled US out from Paris climate agreement. He removed the ban over
the new coal projects. He removed the restric4on on new Oil and Gas
fields. Re-carboniza4on era started in US.

Addi4onally, China also missed the target badly, first China promised
to make the required carbon cuts but China announced to con4nue
same carbon emission 4ll 2030. From 2030 4ll 2050, it would make cut
almost 50% then 4ll 2070 it will reach to net carbon emission or zero
carbon emission.
India missed the target, Europe, South Africa, Brazil, Japan missed the
target. More surprisingly Germany and Canada that has been fore-
runners of decarboniza4on did not meet the carbon cut off plan.
Moreover, not a single mul4-na4onal company meet the carbon cut
off plan.

COP 27 and the challenge of carbon cut off plans: In Sharm El sheikh –

Egypt conference, the major focus was how would the major emiTers
meet the given targets. In the conference it was found that US missed
the target more than 60%, same as Europe. Canada missed 45%,
China, India and other countries missed it very badly. These all failed
to meet first five years target. Next Five years and then next ten years,
it is impossible to meet ader the stats of first five years. Low op4mism,
as all the emiTers are failed to meet the plan. In next years they also
missed the target so in next 8 years, it is logically impossible to meet
the provided target.

Planta4on and de-carboniza4on: From COP 1 4ll COP 15, dominant

policies are preserving the exis4ng forests like Amazon Forest, African
Forest, Australian forest, Indonesian forest, Chinese forest, German
forest, Mexican forest, Arizona forest.
In COP 15 (Copenhagen conference) two new forest were to be
planted under the supervision of UNFCC. One in Indonesia n second is
in Brazil. But in COP 21, it was found that planta4on projects were
par4ally successful because of less planta4on than required while
plants survival ra4o were less. Overall, 46% plants only grow in these
two forests.

COP 21 and BONN challenge: On the plajorm of COP 21, Bonn

challenge was given to each country. Bonn is the city of Germany
where COP 25 occurs in 2019. Planta4on challenge was given to each
country which were met by only a few countries like Pakistan J and
Argen4na. Few more countries met the challenge par4ally like China,
India, Germany.
Majority of the countries badly missed the target. All the oil producing
countries missed the target as well. African countries, ASEAN
countries, missed the target.

COP 26-27 findings: Increasing wild fires not only hits the world forests
badly, deforesta4on is also the reason of world forest deple4on. In
Australia, Brazil, China, Turkey, Pakistan, wild fire chances increase.
The carbon gasses eaten by the trees, re- emiTed to the environment
ader burning of trees due to wild fires.

Funds alloca4on and COPs: The alloca4ons of funds against the climate
degrada4on, planta4on and installa4on of clean energy projects
con4nued since COP 1. All the major emiTers started contributed
funds for promo4ng clean environment but major steps were taken on
the plajorm of Copenhagen (COP 15) and Paris (COP 21).

It was decided on the plajorm COP 21 that every year 100 billion
dollars will be contributed by major emiTers for the decarboniza4on
efforts but not a single year the target was met. In 2020, 78 billion
dollars allocated. In 2021, 72 billion dollars allocated. In 2022, 82
billion dollars allocated. US, Australia, UK, India are the major
responsible for lesser contribu4on (COP 26).

Loss and damages fund: It was established on the plajorm of COP 27;
it was a demand of more than 50+ countries of the world that they ae
facing disastrous implica4ons of climate change because of more
carbon emission by the carbon emiTers. Therefore, they must be help
out financially to overcome the nega4ve socio-economic effects of
climate change. Therefore, it is decided to allocate new funds on the
name of loss or damages to the countries which are most effected
countries whether in the form of floods, migra4on, droughts, etc. But,
the detail of this fund would be established in COP 28 (Dubai).
Climate Policies of Pakistan:
1. Pakistan is the one of the worst affectee of climate like Flood of
2010 and 2022.
2. Droughts
3. Agricultural hit.
4. Popula4on migra4on.
5. Destruc4on of infrastructure example, because of 2022 flood
more than 16 billion dollars loss (world bank report).
Pakistan is mainly/ primarily not responsible for floods and other
clima4c degrada4on. However, global emiTers are responsible for
climate degrada4on in Pakistan. As Pakistan emiZng less than 1%
carbon emission worldwide but unfortunately it lies among the top
five affectee of climate degrada4on.

Steps taken by Pakistan:

1. Planta4on- billion tree project and 10 billion projects.
Unfortunately, these projects and not completed. Overall, more
than 2.5 billion trees planted 4ll 2014. Pakistan has met the 2030
target.
2. Clean energy projects like hydel, wind and solar projects.
3. Produc4on of electric cars
4. Pakistan played a leading role in establishment on loss and
damage funds.
Pakistan demanded financial support from IMF, world bank, ADB
and other countries to support.
Pakistan should be given more space, in order to return the loan.