Editorial: Now or never

The choice is between existence and extinction. It’s a ‘now or never’ situation as humanity faces the unprecedented impact of climate change. Climate action can no longer be put off nor can the world afford to continue bickering over funding and technology transfers. As the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres summed up during his speech […]

The choice is between existence and extinction. It’s a ‘now or never’ situation as humanity faces the unprecedented impact of climate change. Climate action can no longer be put off nor can the world afford to continue bickering over funding and technology transfers. As the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres summed up during his speech at the ongoing global climate summit COP27 in Egypt: we are on a highway to climate hell with our foot on the accelerator. The uncontrolled rise in greenhouse gas emissions and global temperatures has made climate chaos irreversible. More than ever before, international cooperation is needed today to reverse the trend and avert the catastrophe. One of the important reasons for the present sluggish progress in climate action is the rich countries’ reluctance to expedite the transition from fossil fuels and give adequate funds and technology to poorer nations to tackle climate change. Underprivileged countries, mostly from the African continent where the summit is underway, have repeatedly sought compensation from rich nations for losses caused by climate-induced disasters. There is a growing chorus of demand to hold fossil fuel companies accountable and make them pay for the damage they have caused to the planet. These companies must contribute to funds which would provide vulnerable countries with financial aid for climate-related losses. As global leaders gather at Sharm-El-Sheikh, the idea of a windfall tax on carbon profits has gained traction amid sky-high earnings for oil and gas majors.

A positive development on the climate action front has been the recent unveiling of the Executive Action Plan for the Early Warnings for All. The plan, prepared by the World Meteorological Organisation and its partners, calls for new targeted investments of $3.1 billion between 2023 and 2027. Its purpose is to facilitate climate adaptation and resilience by offering services related to disaster risk knowledge, forecasting and communication of early warnings anywhere on the planet. Timely alerts are expected to help underprepared nations get their act together and minimise the damage caused by extreme weather events. The pandemic that ravaged the world for over two years underlined the significance of international cooperation and coordination. There is a growing realisation that nobody is safe until everybody is safe. The same spirit should guide collaborative efforts to deal with climate change. A green transition is the need of the hour but such a process should be gradual, equitable and just. The biggest polluters must not be allowed to drag their feet on funding. After all, they are the ones who have pushed the earth to the brink. The success of the climate negotiations would hinge on climate finance by the industrialised nations. The ambitious climate goals set by India and other countries can be met only if they get adequate funds.