The Hindu: Published on 2nd Jan 2025:
Why in News?
Four major UN environmental summits in 2024 failed to yield significant outcomes, highlighting a growing crisis in global environmental negotiations.
The summits addressed critical issues: biodiversity (Colombia), climate change (Azerbaijan), land degradation (Saudi Arabia), and plastic pollution (South Korea).
Persistent lack of consensus and divisive national interests have raised concerns about the feasibility of combating urgent environmental challenges.
Four Key Summits of 2024:
Biodiversity (Colombia):
Goal: Secure funding for sustainable land use and conservation.
Outcome: Failed to meet the $700 billion annual funding target.
Climate Change (Azerbaijan, COP29):
Goal: Scale up climate finance to $1.3 trillion annually and transition from fossil fuels.
Outcome: Partial agreements but no binding commitments; disputes over accountability mechanisms.
Land Degradation (Saudi Arabia):
Goal: Establish a binding drought protocol.
Outcome: Disagreements between industrialized and African nations on economic commitments.
Plastic Pollution (South Korea):
Goal: Agree on a legally binding treaty for plastic pollution reduction.
Outcome: No consensus, with opposition from plastic-dependent economies.
Divergent National Interests:
Developing Nations’ Demands:
Financial and technological support to address climate vulnerabilities.
Example: Azerbaijan summit's $1.3 trillion demand for climate finance.
Developed Nations’ Reluctance:
Domestic political pressures and economic constraints.
Hesitation to pledge additional resources or binding commitments.
Sectoral Divide:
Fossil fuel transition: Resistance from oil-reliant nations.
Plastic reduction: Pushback from economies reliant on plastic production.
Consensus and Crises:
Framework Disputes:
Lack of agreement on mechanisms for monitoring and enforcement.
High-emission nations resisted stricter accountability under the Paris Agreement.
Global Crises:
COVID-19, economic instability, and geopolitical conflicts diverted focus and resources.
Developing nations struggled with balancing immediate economic recovery with long-term environmental goals.
Lack of Consensus:
Delayed Action:
Postponement of critical measures increases risks of irreversible environmental tipping points.
Fragmented Efforts:
Risk of uncoordinated regional actions lacking global coherence.
Erosion of Trust:
Repeated negotiation failures undermine future collaboration.
Pressure on Future Summits:
Heightened expectations for upcoming meetings to deliver substantive progress.
Rebuilding Momentum:
Climate Finance:
Developed nations must honor financial commitments to bridge trust gaps.
Transparency and Accountability:
Establish mechanisms to track and enforce national commitments.
Inclusive Diplomacy:
Ensure equitable representation of vulnerable nations in negotiations.
Focus on Implementation:
Shift from ambitious pledges to tangible, measurable actions.
Integrated Strategies:
Address interconnections between biodiversity, land degradation, plastic pollution, and climate change.
Conclusion:
The failures of the 2024 summits underline the urgency of overcoming national divisions and fostering global solidarity. As environmental crises intensify, nations must prioritize collective action and long-term sustainability over short-term interests. Success in future negotiations depends on bridging trust gaps, ensuring accountability, and adopting integrated solutions to tackle the interconnected challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution.
