Zero Poverty, Zero Emissions... What does it mean for LDCs? Part 1

Last week I attended the Development and Climate days adaptation conference for civil society organisations, which ran parallel to UN COP21 conference. The event brought together adaptation practitioners to discuss practical solutions and learning experiences. I found that participants were hopeful in the discussions, fronting issues of social and climate justice, with the expectation that COP 21 could mark a turning point in climate negotiations. The link between climate change, poverty and development for better resilience could not be over emphasized in the discussions. However, the draft agreement does not seem to have captured the expectations of CSOs as anticipated as yet.

A session on eradicating poverty and decarbonising development in the climate crisis reviewed how the climate crisis jeopardises our ability to sustain poverty eradication beyond 2030 and highlighted how resilient low-carbon development can deliver the sustained, more equal and pro-poor growth necessary to eradicate poverty permanently. Attention was drawn to the core transitions in energy, land use, and human habitat sectors needed to achieve low-carbon, resilient development.

The ODI study  from which the theme of the conference was taken, emphasises the importance of a low carbon development path, focusing on eradicating extreme poverty by 2030 through growth and reductions in inequality. The study also notes that unchecked, climate change could draw up to 720 million people back into extreme poverty just as we approach the zero poverty goal.

Most Least Development Countries (LDCs) have negligible emissions, yet they are grappling with climate change impacts, amidst extreme poverty, disease and hunger. The development path for most LDCs is not clear and to date, we cannot talk of a country that has nearly overcome poverty, even before we focus on climate change. A key issue is whether minimal or carbon free development is possible. Emissions from agriculture will be hard to curb because food needs are increasing the world over. For LDCs with underdeveloped transport systems, industries still in the making, and communities still grappling with day to day survival, it is hard to plan for a carbon free future. Present needs are the top priority.

There are good reasons for African nations and other LDCs to opt for a clean and low carbon development, by choice not because the developed countries demand it. The zero poverty, zero emissions path should be a mutual recognition of the needs for clean development, with incentives for LDCs to walk down that path. Some of these include provision of adaptation funding for less developed countries, separate from the usual development aid as a global commitment to promote a carbon free development path for all.

ODI’s report rightly notes that poverty eradication cannot be maintained without deep cuts from the big greenhouse gas emitters. Emitting countries, especially industrialized ones need to support poverty eradication as a development priority, whether through domestic policy or international assistance, but should also shift their own economies towards a zero net emissions pathway. However, the draft has failed to reach agreement on responsibility for high emissions by developed countries, which is affecting LDC social and development needs. Taking action to address climate change in accordance with evolving economic and emission trends, which will continue to evolve post-2020, has not been agreed on. It’s unrealistic to generalize all the countries, which will affect accountability and response by developed countries to support LDCs.

The puzzle for me here is the nexus between poverty and emissions. LDC’s have been poor with low emissions and the rich countries have continued to grow rich with high emissions. So where do we strike the balance? Is it possible to develop without emitting? Will the rich countries commit to cut their emissions or will LDCs be submerged into ‘cutting emissions’ and be diverted from the development path? Can LDC’s develop without emitting? Who will bear the costs of mitigation and adaptation? These are questions that need to be addressed globally with fairness and justice between the developed countries and the developing counties

If the above is not addressed, poverty will continue to be transferred from one generation to another and the world’s children will be most affected by the transfer of poverty. To make it worse, there is no agreement in the draft on promoting, protecting and respecting all human rights, the right to health, and the rights of indigenous peoples, migrants, children, persons with disabilities and people in vulnerable situations and under occupation, and the right to development, as well as promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women. Gender aspects are completely missing! This needs to change knowing that women and children are most vulnerable to impacts of climate change and if adaptation and mitigation efforts do not focus on these groups, they will continue to sink into poverty as climate change impacts continue reversing their development efforts.

I am not against low emissions development; it’s necessary and is linked to poverty eradication by reducing vulnerability to climate change impacts. Achievement of this however will require action by different countries at all levels, defining equitable development paths,  understanding needs of LDCs, financing adaptation and mitigation technologies, introducing innovative approaches, capacity building, information generation and dissemination, to ensure that all countries are on a fair development path.

The negotiations still continue, we expect an agreement by end of Friday 11^thDecember 2015, but will it address the needs of LDCS and vulnerable categories that are affected by climate change impacts? Watch the space for the next blog that will bring to you the outcome of the final agreement and the linkage to emissions and poverty. 

This blog and others can also be viewed on;  http://community.eldis.org/accra/.59d669a6/.5c83181f