Pacific leaders will be pressing developed nations for payment at the United Nations climate conference known as COP27 this week in Egypt.
Radio New Zealand reports that last year’s climate talks in Glasgow ended in acrimony between rich and developing countries over cash for loss and damage as an agreement was pushed back by the United States and Europe.
Developing countries say compensation ought to be arranged for the emissions caused by richer nations over hundreds of years and its consequence on developing states’ economies.
However, the US and Europe pushed back from opening this discussion at COP27, fearing that paying for historical emissions could put their countries on the hook for billions of dollars for decades or even centuries to come.
The BBC reports lead negotiator for the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), Conrod Hunte, called these meetings a disconnect from reality.
“Within these walls, the process feels out of step with reality; the pace feels too slow,” Hunte said.
Developing states needed the finance to help cope with the existential threat of climate-related issues to Blue Pacific people, islands, and ocean, he said.
Pacific leaders were hopeful the discussion would make it to the agenda this end especially after COP26, where an agreement to prioritise cuts to carbon emissions was accepted on the back of promises from developed countries to finally set up a compensation process this year.
This was a compromise these nations hoped would pay off by opening the discussion of climate compensation in Egypt, but despite their good faith, it has failed to make it on the agenda in Egypt until the last moment.
