Policital Economy of Low-Carbon Development within Global North and South Dynamics

During the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, 1992, the principle of "Common But Differentiated Responsibilities" was formalized. The principle emphasizes the commonly shared obligation in addressing climate change but denying equal responsibilities of all states in environmental protection.

This is rooted from the fact that developed countries have the biggest historic greenhouse gasses emissions. The US contributes to 25% of global cumulative emissions, while EU-28 contributes to 22% global cumulative emissions.

The distinction between countries of the global north and south became increasingly prominent in the Kyoto Protocol (1997). Industrialized nations were assigned emission reduction targets, while developing countries participated in programs which rely on financial and technological assistance from these industrialized counterparts.

However, the "Common But Differentiated Responsibilities" principle has faced criticism for its simplistic division between developed and developing nations. Developing countries, for instance, contribute approximately 44% to biodiversity loss. Moreover, concerns have been raised about the unfair economic advantage afforded to developing countries, which are not subject to the same restrictions as the developed nations.

In 2016, the Paris Agreement notably departed from the "Common But Differentiated Responsibilities" approach, allowing each nation to establish its own national climate targets based on the countries' own circumstances. This shift prompted Indonesia to commit to reduce emissions up to 29-41% against the business-as-usual scenario by 2030.

Despite ongoing disputes, the "Common But Differentiated Responsibility" principle remains relevant in global climate governance today, particularly in light of the economic impacts of COVID-19 and the Russian-Ukrainian war on developing countries.

With the global economy in distress, developing nations are under heightened pressure to sustain economic growth, ensure food and energy security, and address humanitarian crises.

Amidst these challenges, structural economic inequalities are widening, making it increasingly difficult to expect developing countries to allocate additional financial resources towards climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts.

What's your take on this ongoing debate? Should developed nations financially support climate initiatives in developing countries? Or should developing nations independently tackle this issue?

Share your thoughts, insights, and ideas with us at ICONIC 2024!