Developing Countries Demand Compensation for Climate-Related Losses

Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has stated that the devastating floods in his country are a result of the industrialization of wealthier nations, which have emitted half of all heat-trapping gases since 1850. The floods have left 33 million Pakistanis without livelihoods or lives, and the country is demanding compensation from richer nations. Similar stories of climate-related losses and devastation are emerging from across the world, including in Fiji, Kenya, and the Bahamas, where entire villages are retreating inland to escape rising seas and communities are struggling to adapt to new environmental realities.

Key Takeaways:

• The idea of compensation for climate-related losses is not new and is rooted in the principle of restitution for damages caused to others.
• Developing countries, led by Pakistan, are demanding separate loss and damage funding to deal with the aftermath of climate disasters that nations cannot protect themselves against.
• The United States, the biggest historical emitter of greenhouse gases, is already behind on previous promises to help poorer countries shift to cleaner energy or adapt to climate threats.
• The debate over loss and damage will be front and center at the upcoming United Nations climate talks in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt.

Statistics:

• The 2019 Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas caused $3.4 billion in damages, one-quarter of the nation's economy.
• A United Nations report estimates that poorer nations need five times the amount of money currently being pledged to help them adapt to climate change.
• The loss and damage could rise to $1.7 trillion by 2050, according to some estimates.
• Over half of U.N. appeals for donations after weather disasters already go unfilled.

Sources:

• The New York Times article, "Poor Countries Face Climate Hazards, and Are Demanding Compensation from Wealther Nations" by a Reporter
• United Nations report on climate damage and adaptation
• Interview with Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Pakistani Foreign Minister