Climate burden is shared

Climate justice is a term former UN secretary general Kofi Annan referred to during a recent editor's conference in Copenhagen on climate change. Annan explained, "A new [climate change] agreement will be successful only if it is perceived by all participating countries to be equitable". This is singularly the most important factor in next month's climate change summit in Copenhagen.

With mere weeks left before the big meeting, there's little doubt at this point that a comprehensive climate change deal will not be struck at Copenhagen, but the chances of reaching a politically-binding agreement are still real, provided leaders of the developed world show commitment.

Officially speaking, the goal of this crucial gathering is to agree on a deal that limits average global warming to no more than two degrees Celsius. Doing so will create a huge economic opportunity as building a low-carbon economy will include investments and jobs in various new sectors.

Ignoring the problem altogether or doing little about it will allow for temperatures to continue to rise, droughts to increase and storms and sea-levels to amplify. This year alone saw several climate-related disasters in Indonesia, the Philippines and Samoa — not to mention Greenland, where the biggest ever icebergs are breaking loose, or Antarctica's Ross Ice Shelf, which continues to shrink.

The momentum to work on cutting greenhouse gases is there, from both developing and developed countries. The details, however, remain vague. Developing nations including China and India don't want their economic development to be hampered. They also demand greater commitment from rich countries, asking them to cut emissions by at least 40 per cent by 2020. And why shouldn't they? It is true developed nations should bear the brunt of the costs because of their massive contributions to climate change.

At the heart of this debate is the question of responsibility. We know that every country must pitch in, despite the fact that some are more responsible for the state of the environment than others. The challenge is to get a healthy and realistic balance so that contributions are in line with countries' responsibility for climate change and their capabilities. Developed countries must recognise their role in the mess we find ourselves in, as opposed to pulling the old trick of "let's not point fingers at anyone".

Moreover, what needs to be emphasised in Copenhagen is the fact that all countries are in this together. Individually, they cannot make sufficient emissions reductions to solve the problem.

At the moment, countries such as Australia, Canada and the US look like they will get away with small pledges (which could raise suspicions among developing countries). While this is unfair, the only other option is for them not to show up, or to influence other countries in a negative way. This is a point that must be revisited at later stages of talks. US President Barack Obama has already shown serious interest in climate change but, unfortunately, his willingness to join this fight is being undermined by his own Congress — this after a decade of inaction.

Another point of contention is how far developed countries are willing to go in terms of raising funds to help poorer countries tackle global warming. The Copenhagen meeting must discuss how developing countries can expand the use of clean technology, with the help and guidance of the developed world. Obviously this is only possible through financial aid for the poorest countries. Incentives are also required.

Seventy per cent of the world's infrastructure for 2020 is yet to be built. This could either be done the old-fashioned way, or the ‘smart' way.

In terms of awareness, people all over the world are beginning to understand the scale of this problem. Politicians, on the other hand, have not demonstrated the will necessary to deliver solutions. Besides the need for them to show commitment, countries individually must highlight the positive consequences of tackling climate change, namely the development opportunities that can come about. Some experts have said managing climate change will encourage creativity and investment to a greater degree than did the development of the railway or indeed the internet.

Copenhagen should represent a step forward and whatever happens there will be a vital determinant of whether or not countries get serious.