Global Inequality and the Climate Emergency
This Guardian story highlights the enormity of the challenge facing humanity in dealing with the climate emergency. It reports that African nations are likely to agree a common position to take to the next COP meeting which supports the expansion of oil and gas production across the continent. They are expected to argue that Africa must be allowed to benefit from its fossil fuel reserves, as rich countries already have done, and that developed countries by contrast must take the lead on sharp cuts to their emissions. Soaring gas prices have made the prospect of African supplies even more attractive, and developed countries, including EU members, have indicated they would support such developments in the current gas shortage.
All governments are aware that The International Energy Agency ( IEA) an intergovernmental agency whose mission is to provide “real-world solutions to help countries provide secure and sustainable energy for all”, warned last year that no new fossil fuel developments could take place if the world was to stay within 1.5C of pre-industrial levels. African countries are expected to be among the most damaged by the impacts of the climate crisis. Drought is already afflicting a large swathe of the Horn of Africa at present, and millions of people are “marching toward starvation”, the World Food Programme has warned.
The New York Times recently reported on the dilemma faced by one African country.
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), home to one of the largest old-growth rainforests on Earth, is auctioning off vast amounts of land in a push to become ‘the new destination for oil investments,’as the world retreats on fighting climate change in a scramble for fossil fuels.
The oil and gas blocks to be auctioned extend into Virunga National Park, the world’s most important gorilla sanctuary, as well as tropical peatlands that store vast amounts of carbon, keeping it out of the atmosphere and from contributing to global warming. DRC’s about-face in allowing new oil drilling in environmentally sensitive areas comes eight months after its president, Félix Tshisekedi, stood alongside world leaders at the global climate summit in Glasgow and endorsed a 10-year agreement to protect its rainforest, part of the vast Congo Basin, which is second in size only to the Amazon.
The deal included international pledges of $500 million one of the world’s poorest nations, over the first five years.But since then, as the New York Times reminds us “the world’s immediate priorities have shifted.” Russia’s invasion of Ukraine sent oil prices soaring and has led to a call to ration natural gas in Europe. At the same time, Norway, a leading advocate of saving forests, is increasing oil production with plans for more offshore drilling .US President Biden, who pledged early in his term to wean the world from fossil fuels, traveled to Saudi Arabia recently where he raised the need for more oil production. Meanwhile back home his ambitious domestic climate agenda is largely doomed.
The DRC has taken note of each of these global events, said Tosi Mpanu Mpanu, the nation’s lead representative on climate issues and an adviser to the government .Its sole goal for the auction, he said, is to earn enough revenue to help the struggling nation finance programs to reduce poverty and generate badly needed economic growth.“That’s our priority…our priority is not to save the planet.”
The auction highlights a double standard that many political leaders across the African continent have called out: How can Western countries, which built their prosperity on fossil fuels that emit poisonous, planet-warming fumes, demand that Africa forgo their reserves of coal, oil and gas in order to protect everyone else?
There is opposition to the proposal within the country. A Greenpeace team recently consulted people living inside the proposed oil blocks and said inhabitants were opposed to drilling and would launch protests.Rather than alleviating poverty the sale of oil blocks would make a lot of money for a few people it says, as has happened elsewhere on the continent.
Back in March, Ève Bazaiba, DRC’s Minister of Environment, told The New York Times that officials were still mulling over whether to go ahead. “Should we protect peatland because it’s a carbon sink or should we dig for oil for our economy?” In early July she still indicated a willingness to back down on the auction.“If we have an alternative to the oil exploitation, we’ll keep them,” she said, speaking of the peatland.
But climate adviser Mr. Mpanu says that the DRC has already has paid its climate dues. It allows the mining of minerals and metals such as cobalt and lithium that are key to the renewable energy industry and it plans to develop hydropower.“We are part of the solution, but the solution also includes us making use of our oil resources.”
What is to be done? Those of us living in countries with democratic rights should be trying to elect better governments. In the UK this is likely to involve a variety of opposition parties agreeing to collaborate electorally. We should all do what we can to help bring this about. These governments would make the climate emergency their central concern, including a commitment to promoting international action, recognising the importance of global justice. Poorer countries need huge financial support if they are to be persuaded to rule out new oil and gas explorations and protect carbon sinks. Individual actions by individual governments are an inadequate response. There needs to be a genuine and comprehensive international agreement on the need to achieve Global Net Zero as soon as possible, with poorer countries being given priority access to the carbon that can still be used.
We need competent, pragmatic governments working collaboratively to address the climate emergency. These governments should be prepared, out of necessity, to work with dictatorial governments, including several of the world’s biggest energy exporters, whilst supporting the struggles within such dictatorships for civil and democratic rights. They should also be determined to stand up to oil corporations which fully understand the nature of the emergency but appear to value their fossil fuelled profits more. Such governments should face demands for serious action from vibrant and inclusive climate action movements which we should all contribute to building. They should also be prepared to challenge their own electors, suggesting things that need to dramatically reduce if not end all together- eg holiday flights, meat based diets, second homes.
What is the alternative ? Building a worldwide movement for to abolish global capitalism within ( say) five years ? I look forward to reading the strategy for this, but won’t be holding my breath.
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