Pakistan, recently struck by the worst flooding disaster in its history, has been clamouring for climate reparations or compensation from the wealthier nations primarily blamed for initiating climate change.
A Closer Look at Climate Reparation
Climate reparations suggest that the developed nations should pay the developing countries. This payment would serve as a means to address the detrimental roles these developed countries, historically and presently, have played in inciting climate change.
Who Bears the Responsibility for Climate Change?
The Western nations bear a crucial historical responsibility. Their impact spans centuries due to the longstanding presence of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, which is a primary factor contributing to global warming. The Polluter Pays Principle implicates these polluters, holding them liable to cover not just remediation costs but also compensation for victims of their environmentally damaging actions.
The United States, European Union, and the UK jointly account for over half the current emission rates. Including Russia, Canada, Japan, and Australia brings the combined contribution to almost 65%, approximately two-thirds of total emissions. In comparison, India, the third-largest emitter at present, holds responsibility for only 3% of past emissions. Similarly, China, the world’s most significant emitter for over 15 years, has contributed around 11% since 1850.
The Global Impact of Climate Change
Climate change’s impacts disproportionately affect poorer nations due to their geographical locations and limited capabilities to deal with such issues. Countries with minimal contributions to historical emissions yet limited resources are thus hit hardest by climate change’s devastating consequences.
The Economic Impact on India
The economic loss following Cyclone Amphan in India and Bangladesh in 2020 was assessed at $15 billion.
International Conventions on Climate Responsibility
The 1994 UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which established the broader principles of the global climate change combat efforts, recognized this differentiated responsibility. The convention firmly states that wealthier nations must provide both financial and technological aid to developing countries to help them counter climate change. Accordingly, these nations committed to providing $100 billion to the developing world annually.
The Current Status
However, the promised annual aid of $100 billion has yet not been fulfilled. A recent report by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Efforts (UNOCHA) states that funding requests linked to climate-induced disasters averaged $15.5 billion from 2019 to 2021. It is estimated that the United States alone inflicted more than $1.9 trillion in damages to other nations through its emissions.
There are also non-economic losses, including loss of life, displacement, health impacts, and cultural heritage damage. By 2030, the unavoidable annual economic losses from climate change are projected to reach between $290 billion and $580 billion.
Initiatives for Compensation
Developing countries and NGOs have managed to create a separate channel for loss and damages in international climate change negotiations. As a result, the establishment of the Warsaw International Mechanism (WIM) for Loss and Damages in 2013 was the first formal recognition of the need to compensate developing nations hit by climatic disasters.
UPSC Civil Services Examination Previous Year Question (PYQ)
Prelims Q: Which of the following statements regarding ‘Green Climate Fund’ are correct? (2015)
It is intended to assist developing countries in their adaptation and mitigation practices to counter climate change.
It is founded under the aegis of UNEP, OECD, Asian Development Bank, and World Bank.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
The answer is (a). The Green Climate Fund (GCF) was established to aid developing countries’ efforts against climate change. Hence, option (a) is the correct answer.
