No climate justice in COP30

Capitalist countries continue to dodge their responsibility for the climate crisis, refusing to pay up while pushing market schemes that allow them to keep polluting.

MANILA – The 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30) in Belém, Brazil fell short in delivering climate justice, independent think-tank IBON Foundation said in a statement. 

IBON criticized the presence of around 1,600 fossil fuel lobbyists and 203 big agricultural corporations at COP30. “Despite a historic 2,500-3,000 indigenous peoples delegation—all calling for land rights, real decision-making, and climate action— IPs were given virtually no negotiating power.”

According to Kick Big Polluters Out (KBPO) coalition, fossil fuel lobbyists at the UN climate talks outnumber delegates from the Philippines by nearly 50 to 1, even as the country faces severe typhoons. They also sent over 40 times more lobbyists than Jamaica which is still recovering from Hurricane Melissa. The KBPO said that this is a 12-percent increase from last year’s climate talks in Baku, Azerbaijan and the largest concentration of fossil fuel lobbyists at COP since KBPO started analyzing conference attendees. 

“Capitalist countries continue to dodge their responsibility for the climate crisis, refusing to pay up while pushing market schemes that allow them to keep polluting. Their capture of the climate agenda, keeping it safely within the logic of profit and capitalism, only further undermines the COP and betrays the peoples it claims to protect,” KBPO said. 

COP30 which was held from November 10 to 21 ended without mentioning the phaseout of fossil fuel. This is despite the COP28’s deal to transition away from fossil fuel. A report by The Guardian said that Petrostates and its allies blocked the production of a road map to phase out fossil fuel from the official text of the COP30.

Aksyon Klima Pilipinas meanwhile criticized the Philippine government for being silent on the global demand to transition from fossil fuels. “The Philippine government has been quiet on one of the most critical issues being discussed at COP30 [which is] laying the path forward for transitioning from fossil fuels. The same government, which has been developing a national, just transition plan and boasting about its drive for renewable energy development, has not joined the other countries in demanding for a roadmap to truly begin the era of fossil fuels.” 

The group stressed that transitioning from fossil fuels is more than just a matter of energy security in the Philippines. “It means slowing down global warming that is now all but guaranteed to surpass 1.5°C for the short-term. It means avoiding more extreme impacts for our country, already one of the most vulnerable to the climate crisis. It means protecting our communities that have had enough of being battered by one typhoon after another, at times in rapid succession with no time to prepare or recover.” 

The group said that its silence on the phaseout of fossil fuels “reflect the national government’s genuine commitment to pursuing accountability from historical polluters and fossil fuel corporations, similar to the accountability that still eludes a nation that has its resources stolen due to corruption in anomalous flood control projects.”

IBON Research Head Rosario Guzman asked, “How can we expect the Philippine government delegation in Belém, Brazil for COP30 to raise its hand for a genuine fossil fuel phaseout when our own energy system remains anchored to dirty, imported fuels?” 

Guzman said that the majority of the country’s energy mix is still majority fossil fuels-based and the government is even paving the way for more coal projects. “Marcos Jr’s supposed embrace of renewable energy merely layers renewable energy on top of fossil fuel dependence instead of replacing it, locking us deeper into the same pattern of imperialist plunder.” 

She said that the Philippine government’s pledge to cut emissions by 70 percent by 2013 is unrealistic as “it betrays a profound misunderstanding of differentiated responsibilities and the rightful demand of vulnerable nations for climate compensation.” 

“Instead of championing justice, our officials waste public resources attending a global climate conference only to offer a carbon-emitter-friendly silence,” Guzman said. (DAA)

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