Justice in climate cooperation: Restoring common but differentiated duties

The group of Non-Annex I countries can no longer be fully identified with the developing states, as 20 Non-Annex I countries are now included in the World Bank's list of high-income countries

In my last month’s column, I had focused on the rising threat of climate change and the serious shortfalls in the promise of commitments under the Paris Agreement of 2015.  I had argued for an acceleration of commitments, particularly by developed countries.  In this column, I try and elaborate on what the 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30), to be held in Brazil this November, can do to secure agreement on the principles that should drive faster global cooperation and national action.

In my view, the most important principle that should be reasserted is the notion of common but differentiated responsibilities