Advertisement
Opinion | Climate action? First, we must stop fighting among ourselves
- Achieving a balance between prosperity and environmental stewardship remains a formidable challenge, compounded by climate change denial
- But the biggest obstacle to tackling global warming may well be our enduring hostilities with one another
Reading Time:3 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
3
The recently concluded Cop28 UN climate change conference took place while two major wars are being fought. Until we can foster peace among ourselves, achieving a harmonious coexistence with nature seems improbable.
Advertisement
A key focus of the Dubai summit was to establish a “loss and damage” fund to help developing countries cope with and recover from the devastating impact of climate change. There is no denying that the world’s most impoverished countries are being hit the hardest by global warming and are most unfairly affected by climate change.
In October, at the Belt and Road Forum in Beijing, President Xi Jinping reaffirmed China’s commitment to help countries in the Global South through “small yet smart” projects.
As a leader in green technology, China has the resources to facilitate the developing world’s transition towards a more sustainable model of growth. In 2021, Xi pledged to halt the construction of new coal-fired power projects overseas. More recently, China finished building the world’s largest solar farm in the United Arab Emirates ahead of Cop28.
China is at the forefront of the global renewable energy transition. But its heavy reliance on coal power at home poses a significant obstacle to achieving net-zero emissions. This dependence highlights the challenge of balancing economic progress with environmental protection.
Advertisement
It is a predicament shared by other major powers including the United States and India. Balancing the need for development with climate action is a legitimate concern and a formidable challenge.
Advertisement