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Cop27 is full of politicians and policymakers – but the global south doesn’t work that way
(The Guardian, 14 Nov 2022) World leaders need to appreciate the importance of local authorities in nations most affected by climate change.
When I say Africans are deeply disappointed with Cop27 so far, I don’t want to be misunderstood. There have been real signs of progress, including meaningful shifts towards climate justice by European leaders. But the hope that the global south would have its voice heard by the most powerful nations at this year’s Cop summit has – predictably enough – failed to materialise.
For years now, global climate negotiations have been dominated by world leaders, policymakers and intergovernmental organisations, leaving little space for anyone else. There is not really any impetus to do otherwise.
How can we talk about loss and damage, or fathom the scale of environmental destruction and climate reparations – which should be $2tn a year according to the UN – without including the voices of those who know the most? After all, civil society, faith leaders and moral voices play a pivotal role in society and politics across the global south. Yet this is not well understood by the powers that dominate Cop meetings.
The Guardian, 14 Nov 2022: Cop27 is full of politicians and policymakers – but the global south doesn’t work that way
