3rd CLIMACT Seminar Series - Episode #13

In a deeply unequal world, what is the meaning of the billions of Euros promised by wealthy nations to the poorer ones to address climate change? Do they build resilience and reduce emissions, or are they merely bargaining chips at U.N. negotiations? Are promises being met, and are meaningful efforts being funded in the areas needed by developing nations? Given the failure of global society to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases rapidly enough, what are the chances for compensation to nations suffering losses and damages from climate impacts?

Timmons Roberts, Professor of Environment and Society at Brown University in the U.S. and Director of the global Climate Social Science Network will review the history of promises of climate finance, and why it so starkly differs from the reality. He concludes with an assessment of the contributor countries' performance and some proposals of ways forward.

Climate justice is experiencing a renaissance in the context of large-scale loss and damage (economic and non-economic) amid growing vulnerability among people across all corners of the planet. Globally societies are now confronted with climate loss and damage compounded by existing social vulnerabilities and multiple crises. These risks are projected to continue into the future. There is no question that loss and damage is a complex agenda in terms of who is responsible and who pays for creating a safe and fair future under climate change. Loss is critically about the limits to adaptation and results in costs to societies both in terms of lost dollars and negative consequences for cultures from territory and cultural heritage loss for example resulting from sea level rise. By no means is it easy to define, measure or govern these limits, as the talk will demonstrate.

However, climate justice is also imbued with hope. Researchers demonstrate resurgence of ideals on redistribution of resources, fair procedures, and recognition of rights by mechanisms of inclusion and accountability. Climate justice also introduces hope through new (if not complex) ideas on compensation, degrowth, and vulnerability as an opportunity for just transformations.