Global South Bears Climate Burden as COP29 Highlights Inequities
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - The COP29 climate summit in Baku, the Azerbaijan Republic, has underscored stark inequities in global climate action, with nations in the Global South leading innovative efforts but struggling with inadequate financial support from wealthier countries.
The 29th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) shed light on the disproportionate burden carried by the Global South in combating climate change, CGTN reported.
Despite contributing the least to historical emissions, countries like Kenya, Brazil, and Grenada showcased ambitious climate initiatives, such as Kenya's solar-powered irrigation systems and Brazil's commitment to preserving the Amazon rainforest.
Grenada reaffirmed its role in the Global Cooling Pledge, aiming to cut cooling-related emissions by 68% by 2050.
However, these achievements come at a steep financial cost, with African nations alone requiring $280 billion annually by 2030 for climate adaptation and mitigation.
The operationalization of the Loss and Damage Fund at COP29 brought some relief, with $700 million pledged, but this falls far short of the $580 billion annual need by the same year.
Wealthier nations have yet to fulfill their 2009 promise of $100 billion annually in climate finance, eroding trust in their role as reliable partners in global climate efforts.
Major emitters, including the United States and the European Union, have failed to align their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) with the Paris Agreement’s 1.5-degree Celsius target. Instead, they continue subsidizing fossil fuels and carbon-intensive industries.
This disparity was a recurring theme at COP29, as leaders from the Global South demanded accountability and equitable action. Vulnerable regions, already facing severe climate-induced disasters like floods and droughts, remain underfunded, limiting their ability to scale successful initiatives.
Without substantial financial and technological support, the global fight against climate change risks becoming fragmented and ineffective. For instance, insufficient adaptation funding could result in $50 billion in annual climate-induced losses for Africa by 2040.
Investments tailored to the Global South, such as sustainable cooling technologies, could significantly reduce emissions, the UN Environment Programme noted. The Global Cooling Pledge alone could cut nearly 78 billion tons of CO2 emissions by 2050.
The path forward hinges on wealthier nations meeting their financial commitments, increasing contributions to the Loss and Damage Fund, and phasing out fossil fuels in favor of renewable energy.
As COP29 concluded, the spotlight remained on translating these pledges into action, with experts emphasizing that climate justice requires not charity but genuine global partnership.
