[U of T submitted assignments]
So What Now: Adaptation
In the face of all of these, I am not saying that developing countries should just lay back and let the developed countries to do all the work. As the developed countries focus on climate change mitigation, perhaps it would be better if developing countries focus on adaptation since it already has been recognized that developing countries are generally more vulnerable to the effects of climate change (Eckstein et al., 2017). This suggestion is also made by Mertz et al. (2009), where they state in their paper “Adaptation to Climate Change in Developing Countries” that because of uncertainties in how permanent observed short-term climate change effects, such as intense flooding, drought, heat waves, among others, it is essential to introduce climate resiliency and risk management projects. Mertz et al. (2009) go on to give particular examples to climate adaptation strategies such as dike building, and development of further irrigation systems for agriculture. Perhaps another strategy developing countries can adopt is an increase in the research and investment in alternative renewable energy sources; for example, developing countries in or near the Pacific Ring of Fire, like the Philippines, could invest in the creation of more geothermal power plants instead of coal or natural gas plants.
Now, in terms of the funding for these projects, it must be noted that by 2010, a financial mechanism called the “Green Climate Fund” (GCF) was already set up by the 194 parties to the UNFCCC. This fund was created with the goal of continuously provide funding to various mitigation and adaptation projects in developing countries (“About the Fund”, No Date). However, it is generally regarded that the GCF only came into force in 2014, after the Conference of the Parties 21 and the establishment of the Paris Agreement. Under the Agreement, developed countries pledged US$100 billion in climate finance per year by 2020 (Wu, 2013), and so far has raised US$10 billion (BBC, 2017). However, as of 2017, current U.S. President Donald Trump has pulled out of the Agreement (BBC, 2017), and as there is still no concrete indication of how the other developed countries will continue this climate finance project, it can be said that the fate of the GCF is currently in limbo.
Conclusion
Overall, I reiterate my claim that, because of the fact that 70% of the total CO2 produced originated from developed countries, these same countries bear much of the responsibilities when it comes to climate change and its effects. As such, they should also be responsible in mitigating the effects of climate change, and in funding future loss and damage mechanisms, as well as future climate projects developing countries might need to adopt in order adapt to an ever-warming world. However, this does not mean that developing countries get a free pass; they too must help in the fight against climate change through additional research and climate projects of their own.
As inhabitants of our common planet, we have the right and responsibility to call for better and stronger climate change mitigation and adaptation policies to ensure the betterment of our future.
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Related Links:
Part 1: On Climate Change: An Insight into Climate Justice [UofT docs 2018]
Part 2: On Climate Change: An Insight into Climate Justice [UofT docs 2018]