Politics of Climate Change:

The divide between the developed and developing world, that is of carbon
emission, also called the divide between the global north and the global south.
the global north is the developed world and global south is the developing world.
The stance of the global north, led by US, UK and others state that the climate
change is a global problem. The global environment has become increasingly
polluted and the temperature has dangerously increased and the reason is more
and more carbon emission for which developed and developing world are equally
responsible says the developing world. China the world’s largest carbon emitter
more than 34% of the global emission is by China. More than 19% is by India. US
the second largest and Europe the 3rd while india is at 4th for highest emitters. Oil
and gas producers are also the major carbon emitters, and therefore it is a global
responsibility to make carbon use less.
The stance of the developing world, climate change is a global problem. Carbon
emission is being done by both developed and developing world but the
developing world cannot be held equally responsible as developed world, the
developed world has been polluting the world environment for 150 years,
industrialization of Europe, US and Canada took place in the end of 19th century
and start of 20th century. UNFCC (UN forum of climate change) states that more
than 70% of the global carbon emission is done by the developed world. while the
emission from the developing world is a recent phenomenon, China 1980’s, India
1980’s on wards, Brazil 1990’s onwards, South Africa 1990’s onwards, these are
also the major top 4 emitters of the global south. the Developed world has
already achieved the max socio-economic growth, they have saturated it to
optimal level. While the developing world’s development has recently begin.
Developed world has both the technological and financial capacities to shift on to
carbon free industry. But the developing world doesn’t have enough technological
and financial resources to shift onto carbon free industries and therefore the
developed world should initiate the cut of carbon emission and give enough time
to the developing world to shift to the carbon free energy, this stance is led by
China and India, COP 1-20.
Cop 21, Paris climate agreement 2015, for the first time global north and global
south agreed on carbon cut off plan. USA gave its own carbon cut off plan that it
would cut off the carbon emission by 46% by the year 2030 against the 2006 level.
Almost the same plan was given by US, France, Germany, and other European
countries and Canada also gave its own carbon cut off plan. China state 30% cut
off same for india and other countries, 2006 was kept as the standard. Not only
countries but multi-national companies also gave a carbon cut off plan, like coca
cola, ford, Toyota, Volkswagen, etc. For the first time binding cut off plan was
given. It would not be advisory rather it would be binding, every five years it will
be reviewed, in 2015 it was signed and 2020-25-30 reviewed. In these session
every country and company was bound to present its carbon cut off.
The reasons for success of COP 21:
• US played the role of a global leader. Before Obama administration, Bush
administration didn’t show much interest in climate change, and even Bill
Clinton’s administration couldn’t play a major role. It was Obama
administration who led the world from the front. US led by an example, it
started making carbon cuts. Firstly, it banned new coal projects, and
existing coal projects were equipped with the latest technology. Secondly,
it discouraged new oil and gas fields. It also shifted towards clean energy,
Wind, solar, hydel, etc. were installed, electric car industry was promoted
etc. US led the world from the front, Obama and John Kerry they played a
leading role in convincing China, India, South Africa, Brazil, Middle East, UK
etc. and played a role in making them sign the carbon cut off plan.
• Role played by China, international pressure pressurized china to make
carbon cuts and china couldn’t play the role of under-developed country
since it is the world’s 2nd economy, and world’s largest export of goods, and
it has more financial capacities than US and Europe and technologically it is
also not under-developed it has the worlds largest solar industry, wind,
dams etc. and thus can shift onto carbon free industry. And thus china
accepted. And China is also one of the biggest emitters of the world about
more than 34%. And the internal pressure since the environmental
pollution increased in china, smog, resulting in breathing issues, in most of
the Urban centers and industrial centers.
• Xi Jin Ping’s leadership, china has become increasingly global, it has become
the worlds 2nd largest economy, leading constructor, largest export and
 leading emitter, the role of china is becoming global and thus it has to hold
itself responsible and shoulder global responsibilities.
India, Europe, Canada, Africa, Brazil, all also gave a carbon cut off plan, plus all these
countries pressurized multi-national companies to give carbon cut off plan too.
COP 26 – Glasgow Summit, its findings were, not a single major emitter met the carbon cut
off plan. US missed it and the biggest reason for that was the Trump pulled US out of the
COP 21 agreement. Trump’s stance was when China, India and other major emitters are not
making the required carbon cuts why should the US make them only. Making carbon cuts
have badly hurt the US industry, since the production cost increased, and US needs to put
America first, American first, and American industry first – Nationalist policy. The steps he
took were, the ban over coal projects was lifted, the ban/restriction from oil and gas fields
were lifted, the US companies entered into agreements biggest agreement was made by
EXON MOBIL with KSA, Ukraine, Qatar, Iraq for oil and gas fields. The policies of trump
were American nationalist based.
Secondly, China outrightly missed the target, china increased its carbon burning till 2030.
And reduce onwards, thus china didn’t make any cuts. Same way india didn’t make any
cuts. Europe missed the target by a major number. Canada and Germany which were major
supporters of the plans also missed, and not a single multi-national company cut off its
carbon emissions. These all are COP-26 finding.
COP 27 – Sharmul Sheikh Egypt in 2022. All the major carbon emitters, they recommitted
including US and China to make required carbon cuts by 2030. Which will result in 1.5
degree Celsius reduction in world temperature, but the problem is, after the 7 years of COP
21 the carbon cut of target has been overwhelmingly missed and in the remaining 7 years
how will these drastic cuts be made, it seems like a verbal commitments but can’t be seen
physically.
Plantation: From COP 1-14 policy was, preserve the existing forests. Firstly Amazon,
Arizona, African , Australian, Indonesian, Chinese, German, etc. forests are to be preserved,
all the major carbon emitters will financially contribute for the protecting of the existing
forests.
COP 15- Copenhagen Denmark: it was decided that two new forests will be planted in
Indonesia and Brazil and it will be done under leadership of UNFCC and funded by major
emitters. But COP 21 findings regarding COP 15 show, that the plantation drive was
successful partially only the 46% of the plants show growth. Firstly less than 70% of the
promised plants were planted. Secondly the survival ratio of the plants was less than 65%
and resultantly less than less than 50% that is 46% exact plants survived of the promised.
Bonn challenge was given on the platform of COP 25 in 2019, every country, organization
and multi-national companies were given the target of plantation. Bonn findings, only a few
countries met the target, Pakistan, Argentina were on the top of the list to achieve the
topic, few more partially met the target (China, India, Germany, Canada, Australia etc)
while the majority of the world countries missed the targets (Middle East, Caspian region,
Nordic Region, Western Europe, US, etc.) Even the international organizations missed the
target..
COP 26-27 state, the increasing wild fires are burning the forests due to increasing
temperatures. Secondly, Wood burning has increased specifically in Indonesia, Brazil, Sri
Lanka, and several Asian, African and South American countries, since the fuel prices have
become increasingly high and they cannot afford it thus they have started to burn wood,
leading to deforestation. It is also causing an increase in carbon emission. Carbon in the
trees, inside their branches and trunks that has been accumulated over time and has not
been transferred to the earth, once these trees are burnt these carbon gases are being
released in the atmosphere.
Carbon Trading: Carbon quota was allocated to every country in the world in Kyoto
Protocol, every country was bound to make carbon cuts as per their allocated quota. This
was allocated on the basis of population, size of the country and plantation in those
countries. Countries were advised, the quota was not binding, they were advised to
reduced their carbon emission accordingly to the quota. But unfortunately, not a single
country followed since the agreement was not binding. In 2002, carbon trading was
introduced, countries were allowed to sell their carbon quota. the high emitters were
allowed to purchase the quota from lesser emitter (38 countries crossed carbon limit),
more than 150 countries were emitting lesser carbon gases against their allotted quota.
Legally it was allowed to sell and purchase the carbon quota resulting in all major emitters
started purchasing the carbon quota from lesser emitters.
COP 21 if it had any one major failure it was, it could not stop the carbon trading. And this
carbon trading is one of the major hurdle in decarbonization.
Funds allocation: it began since COP 1, but it was minor. But in 2009 in Copenhagen and
another in 2015 COP 21, every year 100 billion dollars were allocated by the major emitters
to the worst effectees. But not even in a single year was the target met, eg. In 2020, the
target was missed by 22 billion dollars which was brought to light in Glasgow since US gave
12 billion less, then India, Europe, Australia and more did not pay the required amount that
they were supposed to pay. In 2021, again by more than 20 billion dollars was missed. In
2023 the committed amount is annexed as 28 billion short (confirm it ?) since countries
committed lesser. COP 26-27 predicted that the funds would be short because of the global
financial recession. But in COP 27 a ray of hope is that loss and damages funds was
established. Which means that those countries which are faced with disastrous implications
of climate change will be globally financed by COP but terms and conditions are still not
clear. The amount is not clear. which is expected to be clear in the COP 28.

Climate Policies of Pakistan:

• Clean Energy installation projects, hydel (Diamer Bash), wind, solar projects will be
installed according to Energy Vision 2030. No electricity generation from imported
hydrocarbon by 2030.
• Plantation drive: Pakistan topped the list of the countries in the bonn challenge
because of the billion tree tsunami, which started in 2014-2018. After that 10 million
tree project of the Federal govt. Clean Green Thar project which is currently in
progress includes 30 million trees plantation. Ten million trees project of Pak Security
Forces met. From 2018 to 2023 ten billion tree project has been partially completed,
1.5 billion trees have been planted. From 2014-22 Pakistan has planted 2.8 billion
trees, which is the highest achieved number by any country. Trees are carbon eaters,
they send carbon gases back to earth, they are the environment cleaners.
• Foreign Policy: Pakistan the worst effectee of global warming. Either prolong
draughts or devastating floods, the fast melting of glaciers and the
unpredicted/abnormal rainfalls such as 2010 and 2022 are the reasons of this.
Normally, 3 spells of monsoon but in 2022 there were 8 spells, which was the most it
had occurred in the history of Pakistan, they started from start of June, then in July
and August. (UNFCC portal NDMA and WB source). It rained 46 MAF in july. The
highest ever in its history. Balochistan’s highest level rainfall, and floods, KPK’s
second largest, Southern Punjab highest ever, Sindh largest ever rainfall and floods.
The loss was, 4 times more land effected as compared to 2010 floods, including
cotton, sugarcane, wheat, livestock, worst effect on the agricultural industry of
 Pakistan. Not only the existing crops but the stored grains were also lost as the
houses were flooded and destroyed. Secondly the domestic loss, more than 10
million houses were effected (1 million damaged confirm the figure thyself), 36
million people were effected and mostly displaced, majorly in Sindh, then
balochistan, southern Punjab and parts of KPK. Thirdly the general infrastructure was
effect, 12000 km roads, more than 3000 major and small size bridges, 3000 km
railway, electricity transmission lines and even powerhouses were damaged. Private
businesses were also effected. WB estimated a figure of 16 billion dollars in loss to
Pakistan due to the floods on 2022.
Reasons:
Global Climate Changes are primarily the cause of these, resulting in changes of weather
condition and effecting Pakistan in worst ways, either extreme droughts or worst floods.
The world is responsible for these floods in Pakistan said the UNSG, primarily the major
emitters. Therefore, they must help Pakistan out of the mass of crisis.
Pakistan’s role
• Pakistan led the 40 plus countries demanding the establishment of loss and damage
funds that will deal with the climate issues. COP 27
• Pakistan demanded immediate financial support, Pakistan had suffered from the
financial crisis and was even intensified by the floods. Around 10 billion dollars were
pledged for Pakistan that will be dispersed in 4 years, supporter WB, IMF, ADB, KSA,
US etc. these funds will be for projects to pertinent the flood effectees and to take
steps to reduce the danger of floods in future.
• IMF, ADB, WB, and other donors must reschedule the repayments of loans from
Pakistan. Furthermore, more loan packages on easier terms and conditions should be
granted.
Read UNFCCC and COP 21 for more information.