2020 has been the warmest year on record, NASA shows. The atmosphere and ocean have warmed, the amount of snow and ice has diminished, and sea levels have risen globally. According to the Human Development Report of 2020, the causes of global warming can be identified in human economic activities, which release enormous amounts of greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere and as such contribute to climate change. Yet, when talking about our human responsibility in inducing climate change, it is very important to be aware of the different historical contributions of every country to today’s greenhouse gas emissions.
The most affluent countries of the world, also referred to as the “Global North”, are responsible for around half of all emissions since the Industrial Revolution, as estimated by the World Inequality Database. Privileged lifestyles in Europe, North America and other nations in the Global North produce a carbon footprint 100 times greater than that of the world’s poor nations combined. In 2019, the top 10% of global emitters (771 million individuals) were responsible for about 48% of global CO2 emissions, while the bottom 50% (3.8 billion individuals) were responsible for almost 12% of all emissions. This does not only mean that least developed countries, often located in the “Global South”, have contributed far less to global warming. It also implies that least developed countries have had a less equal share in the direct benefits of fossil fuel use, including energy consumption.
The ecological crisis brings global inequalities to the surface
Events over the past years have made clear that no one can escape the impacts of climate change. However, at the global level, climate effects are not uniform. The Global Climate Risk Index 2021 indicates that the poorest countries of the world, whilst registering the lowest industrial pollution levels, are most susceptible to the damage produced by climate change. In fact, evidence indicates that the initial inequality experienced by countries of the Global South puts them in a position of disadvantage, where they are particularly vulnerable to climate change impacts. As a consequence, climate change widens already-existing global inequalities, thereby undermining efforts of poverty reduction. A report of the World Bank estimates that the ecological crisis might drive up to 135 million people into poverty by 2030.
Looking at the national level, climate change further deepens within-country inequalities by hitting the poorest communities, including Black, Indigenous and People of Colour communities (BIPOC), as well as women and children, hardest. These most vulnerable groups face the effects of global warming on a daily basis; Even though smallholder farmers in rural economic areas provide up to 75% of the food supply in many developing countries, they are undermined by floods, droughts and other natural disasters. Notwithstanding, vulnerable groups are often the ones who are actively involved in the protection and conservation of natural habitats, as in the case of indigenous environmental defenders. In addition to being exposed to the most direct adverse effects of climate change and global warming, these groups are facing extreme violent attacks for defending their home and the planet. In fact, as reported by Global Witness, 227 environmental and land defenders were killed in 2020 in the Global South.
The need for more active inclusion of Global South actors and voices
Rather than suffering the most from climate change, communities at the forefront of climate change should be at the centre of the world’s fight against global warming, and should be given way more space to raise their voices. This means that, in order to reduce global inequalities, Global South actors need to be actively included in the decision-making of global action and partnerships, especially on climate related issues.
This also means that people in the Global North need to support the more active inclusion of Global South actors. Today, the voices of the Global South remain too often unheard. A recent study points out that climate change academics from some of the worst-hit regions are struggling to be published – a challenge that is even harder for female authors. The lack of diverse voices means that key views are missing. Moreover, BIPOC communities of the Global South possess unique practical and ancestral knowledge about nature and ways to live in harmony with it. Their inclusion can indeed widen the knowledge on climate change and help shape policies.
Other essentials to reduce global inequalities
Firstly, when it comes to climate change, it is crucial to recognise that the Global South and the Global North face different realities, which imply different capacities, resources as well as different priorities on the political agenda. Hence, acknowledging the different climate realities amongst different countries and communities, as well as the different responsibilities based on historic pollution, is a first valuable step to act upon the climate crisis.
Secondly, it is paramount to reconsider history, and to decolonise the climate narrative. This comes with the recognition that the solution to the problems posed by climate change might lie in other perspectives, which do not necessarily belong to the same mindset that created them in the first place. Decolonising the narrative means recognising that climate change is a consequence of the unprecedented acceleration in human production and consumption, which started with colonialism. It means understanding that the modern idea of economic progress that harms the environment and its people is no longer considered the most suitable option for the well-being of the Earth, and it needs to be challenged. This is also why actively including the voices of the Global South is so important.
While we cannot undo historic pollution, we can focus on dealing with climate change in a more inclusive and equitable manner; Every action counts; from increasing the representation of Global South authors in climate research, to opening debates upon production patterns and changing your consumption patterns. What small step can you begin with today?
Written by Erika Strazzante, Stéphanie Rycken, Vanessa Winkler
27/10/2021
