Climate and Environment is now a cross-cutting issue under Focus on the Global South’s 2018-2020 Work Plan, with this issue permeating across the three thematic priorities: Political Economy of Development, Power and Democracy, and People’s Alternatives. From challenging destructive development models, to promoting agroecology, and defending land and resource rights, climate and environmental justice are integrally connected to all aspects of Focus’ work. Focus will continue to give emphasis to climate and environmental justice from below: recognition that the most important fights for justice are being waged by frontline communities against large-scale development projects; that these communities also face the brunt of environmental disaster; and that they hold the real solutions to climate change. Equally important, climate and environmental justice are inextricably linked with other kinds of justice: social, cultural, economic, political and gender.
The world is facing a climate and environmental crisis with clear manifestations in Asia. As the most populous region on the planet, the impacts of climate change are expected to have severe consequences for the most vulnerable and poor. Droughts and floods have already intensified in Asia. There were 30 million climate migrants in 2010, with a predicted 700 million to be affected by climate change by 2025. China has become the world’s leading emitter of greenhouse gases (although in relation to population it is far below Western countries), with India in a similar situation.
The key questions are if and how Asia’s booming economies can shift from their present trajectory to a more equitable, ecological and democratic path. This is important not only for ensuring social development and democracy, but because the ecosystems and resources underpinning the livelihoods of the vast majority of people in Asia are being destroyed by “business as usual” economic growth.
The processes and status of negotiations in the UNFCCC do not reflect the urgent and necessary actions needed to stop and reverse climate change. Instead, false solutions based on carbon market mechanisms and the financialization of nature are being promoted. Financing required to address climate change is merely a promise from developed countries. The negotiations, instead of strengthening the commitments of developed countries, ridicule whatever value is left in the Kyoto Protocol. In parallel, a policy of global commodification of the services of nature is being promoted under the “Green Economy”. If this is implemented the crisis will deepen: it is not possible to apply market rules to nature’s functions. A new market of environmental derivatives will only create a new source of speculation in the current system.
Work
- Exposing, analyzing climate change’s root causes, ecosystems destruction, nature’s financialization
- Engaging, critiquing international climate negotiations using social, economic justice lens
- Campaigning with local, national, international networks; educating youth, communities
