Commitments on Climate Action Lose Substance and Authenticity

In the face of the escalating climate crisis, a growing consensus is emerging that focuses on the role of indigenous communities in finding solutions. Their practices and way of living have always been in harmony with nature, making them a valuable resource in our fight against global warming.

The 2018 IPCC report paints a grim picture, suggesting that it will be impossible to achieve the goals set out in the Paris Agreement. This stark reality has led many to question the effectiveness of the pledges made by governments, particularly those in the Global North.

One of the criticisms levelled at these pledges is that they often do not address the root causes of the climate crisis, which are socio-economic in nature and linked to racial capitalism. The problem, it seems, lies not just in the lack of ambitious targets, but also in the failure to address the systemic issues at the heart of the crisis.

At COP26, rich countries pledged another $100 billion to tackle the climate crisis. However, the pledge of $100 billion per year from richer countries to poorer countries by 2020 was not met. This lack of empathy and solidarity from Global North countries is having lethal consequences, with countries in the Global South being affected first and worst by climate change and disproportionately impacted by its causes.

In an effort to address this gap, initiatives like the Climate Justice Resilience Fund and the CLIMA Fund are supporting women, youth, and Indigenous-led projects in parts of East Africa and the Bay of Bengal, as well as small organisations across the world working on climate protection and climate resilience.

However, continuous failure to meet climate pledges indicates that they are not backed by substantial policy reform, especially for those building towards climate justice. Wealthy countries, who make these pledges, will be least affected by climate collapse, lowering their incentive to provide aid.

The Paris Agreement, hailed as the most significant pledge in history, has been criticised for not going far enough. The UK government, for instance, had promised £11.6 billion to tackle the climate crisis. However, recent reports suggest that the UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has retracted this pledge.

Despite these challenges, it is crucial to remember that we are not yet doomed. The IPCC's authors reported that we had only twelve years to meet the goals set out in the Paris Agreement. A world at 1.5 degrees of global warming would have disastrous consequences, including the loss of coral reefs, extreme weather, loss of plant and animal species, and melting ice and rising sea levels.

As we strive towards a more sustainable future, it is essential that we focus on the socio-economic causes of the climate crisis and support those who have always lived in harmony with nature. The solutions to the climate crisis may well lie in our own communities and in the practices of our indigenous brothers and sisters.