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The phrase “climate change” today stands at a peculiar crossroad—invoked as the gravest planetary emergency and simultaneously reduced to a currency of geopolitical leverage. For developed nations, it has become a stage for virtue signaling, while for developing countries, it remains a harsh and immediate reality—a matter of survival, sovereignty, and stalled development.
The recent Bonn Climate Change Conference held ahead of COP29 reflects this global dichotomy. What was envisioned as a preparatory meet to shape decisive outcomes for the upcoming COP in Baku has ended up exposing a yawning trust deficit. With talks stuck in a quagmire of failed climate finance promises, North-South political rifts, and the blurry road from Baku to Belem (COP30), it is now clear that climate change has become the world’s most politicized agenda—part salvation script, part smokescreen.
The Rich World’s Climate Costume
Historically, the developed world built its prosperity by burning carbon-rich fuels without restraint. Having consumed a disproportionate share of the Earth’s carbon budget, these countries now demand developing nations decarbonize rapidly—without corresponding reparations. From the Paris Agreement to Glasgow’s COP26 and now the build-up to COP29, climate negotiations have largely followed the same script: pledges made, funds promised, and implementation quietly deferred.
For instance, the much-talked-about $100 billion annual climate finance commitment—"pledged over a decade ago” remains partially fulfilled. At Bonn, this financial betrayal loomed large, eroding the credibility of future deals. Countries like India, China, and the Like-Minded Developing Countries (LMDC) bloc reiterated that equity and Common But Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR) must be the bedrock of climate negotiations. Developing countries cannot be expected to shoulder the same obligations as industrialized nations, especially when climate action risks derailing their economic growth.
India’s Dilemma: Between Bharat and the Biosphere
India’s climate position is nuanced. On one hand, it is among the world’s top emitters; on the other, it is home to hundreds of millions still struggling for energy access and economic upliftment. Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, in an interview, stressed that India’s approach is rooted in Article 4.7 of the UNFCCC, which prioritizes eradication of poverty and sustainable development. India insists that climate investments must not push developing economies into fiscal instability, especially via high-cost private financing.
Moreover, India’s vision of “Viksit Bharat 2047” demands that climate actions align with developmental goals—not undermine them. Yet, despite India’s increasing investments in solar energy and its aggressive push toward renewables, the country faces pressure to abandon coal, its most abundant and affordable energy source, prematurely.
The West’s Shifting Standards
While the United States has rejoined the Paris Agreement under President Biden, the scars of former President Trump’s withdrawal still linger. The credibility of Western nations remains under scrutiny, especially given the rise of protectionist climate measures like the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), which penalises developing countries’ exports under the guise of emissions control.
Similarly, the EU, Canada, and others now advocate for climate finance to be linked with private sector investments, innovative financing, and debt instruments. But for many Global South nations, this is tantamount to climate colonialism—offering loans instead of grants, and imposing reform templates that ignore domestic priorities.
Climate as a Battlefield of Justice
At the heart of these disagreements is a clash of worldviews. Developed countries frame climate change as a techno-economic challenge. Developing countries see it as a justice issue. Floods in Pakistan, heatwaves in India, droughts in Africa, and rising sea levels in the Pacific Islands have turned climate from an abstract debate into a lived crisis. The World Meteorological Organization now reports that there is an 80% chance that one of the next five years will be the hottest on record. Climate change is no longer a future threat; it is an ongoing catastrophe.
Yet, while climate-induced disasters increase, the world’s response remains tepid. Only 22 countries have submitted updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), despite the urgency. Major emitters like China and the EU have yet to revise their 2035 targets, raising doubts about whether COP30 in Brazil can offer anything more than recycled resolutions.
Where Do We Go From Here?
To reimagine climate change as more than a poster boy for diplomacy, a new deal is necessary. This must involve:
- Delivering on past promises: Climate finance must shift from pledges to payouts.
- Reforming governance: Institutions like the Green Climate Fund need democratisation, with greater say for the Global South.
- Promoting localised solutions: Technology transfers, adaptation strategies, and capacity-building must focus on frontline communities, not just carbon metrics.
- Embedding climate in development: Climate action must integrate economic goals, not obstruct them.
As the world heads towards COP29 and then COP30 in Brazil, it is time to ask: Will the developed world stop treating climate diplomacy as a public relations contest and start honouring its historic responsibility?
For developing countries, climate change is not just a threat—it is an existential challenge. For developed nations, it should no longer be a convenient cause for moral grandstanding. If there is to be any justice left in our global order, then climate action must move from rhetoric to reparation.
