Target of Net zero emission against climate justice: LMDC

The Like-Minded Developing Countries — a group of developing countries which have a similar stand in the United Nations climate negotiations — have said that a net zero goal for all countries by mid-century is “anti-equity” and against “climate justice”

The Like-Minded Developing Countries — a group of developing countries which have a similar stand in the United Nations climate negotiations — have said that a net zero goal for all countries by mid-century is “anti-equity” and against “climate justice”.

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In a strongly worded statement, the countries said, “Despite their lack of ambition shown in the pre-2020 period, as well as in their Paris Agreement NDCs (nationally determined contributions) major developed countries are now pushing to shift the goal posts of the Paris Agreement from what have already been agreed by calling for all countries to adopt net zero emissions targets by 2050.” Net zero emissions for all countries by 2050 will exacerbate existing inequities between developed and developing countries, the statement added.

The Paris Agreement refers to achieving a balance between emissions and removal by sinks in the second half of this century as a global aspiration rather than as national targets for all countries. “Achieving this global aspiration is on the basis of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities, in the context of ensuring sustainable development and poverty eradication in developing countries and taking into consideration equity,” the statement endorsed by all LMDC ministers said.

During their own industrialisation phase, the developed countries have overused their domestic carbon space and used those of developing countries as well, the countries said.

“Developed countries should, in acknowledgement of such historical cumulative and per capita cumulative carbon emissions, leave the remaining atmospheric space for the developmental rights of the developing world and aim for their full decarbonisation within this decade. If they continue to emit and occupy more atmospheric space for the next 30 years, the Paris Agreement’s global goals and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’s objective will not be met,” the statement concluded.

In 2012 in Doha, developed countries agreed to revisit their emission reduction targets by the end of 2014 and to raise their ambition level. Developed countries have, in fact, increased their emissions between 1990 and 2020, the statement highlighted.

On the issue of delivery of climate finance, developed countries agreed in 2010 to mobilise $100 billion per year by 2020. “Regrettably, here too they have fallen short of their agreement. In Paris, the 2020 timeline to deliver on the USD100 billion was shifted to 2025, with no assurance that it would be reached or with higher ambition, while at the same time developing countries are requested to raise their ambition on climate actions. These failures to deliver on the commitments agreed to by developed countries undermines trust and confidence in the multilateral system,” the statement said.

Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav, who represented India at the LMDC ministerial meeting chaired by Bolivia on Monday, said the world needs rapid and transformative actions.

“I stated that delayed climate action and lack of leadership from developed countries has increased the cost of mitigation and adaptation in developing countries… LMDC countries should closely work together to protect their interests and ensure that global efforts for net-zero should be guided by the principles of the UNFCCC and its Paris Agreement, and also by national circumstances and priorities,” Yadav tweeted after his address.

LMDC countries include Algeria, Bangladesh, Bolivia, China, Cuba, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mali, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Sri Lanka, among others.

“2050 as a global goal for net zero is too little, too late. It buys wealthy countries time to continue to emit more, while resource-poor countries face the consequences in the short and medium term. Delayed mitigation also presents the risk of uncontrollable warming later this century. So, from both a scientific view, as well as the perspective of historical cumulative emissions, developed nations must bring emissions to zero or as close as possible, within this decade,” said Avantika Goswami of the climate change programme at the Centre for Science and Environment.