Is the Climate Crisis Real?

Two world-renowned formats, unfettered media attention, a motley group of countries and a riveting battleground. What else is common between COP26 and the T20 world cup? A bunch of men playing a well-written script on climate, crisis and camaraderie…

A hyperbole on Quinton’s refusal to take the knee against racism to Australia’s refusal to commit to carbon reduction goals; Scotland playing to the field and Marshall Islands leaders begging for survival. The snub of the French and the indifference of the Red. The divide among the largest democracies, one fidgeting to recall and another pushing back on goals. In that, a well-packed entertainment for all!

On one hand, developed nations (with the largest emissions in the past) muscle on targets without actually committing to finances. Industrialised nations, once pushing and peddling coal as black gold, now fault other poorer countries for high greenhouse emissions. Yet others simply don’t care beyond their immediate gain.

In this macabre theatre of politics, power and historical wrong are a planet and people wronged. If there is one lesson, COP26’s need from the Cuper’s is the love of the game. The love that unites arch-rivals beyond nations. The love for the planet that is slowly dying because of our actions… Rising temperatures, floods and forest fires, unprecedented weather patterns and a pandemic.

India’s remission story

It is the festival season in India. Loud crackers, smoke and smog have replaced the traditional festival of lights. Come October, New Delhi and almost all of Northern India is enveloped in a shroud of smog that can burn one’s respiratory system. Literally! A friend, recently recovered from COVID, writes of gasping for breath in Delhi’s smog. Other critiques the government’s action of installing sparse smog towers costing billions of dollars, but little output. Yet India’s commitment to Glasgow remains wishy-washy. A commitment to reach net-zero emissions by 2070, 20 years after the global commitment timeline of 2050. But still significant and laudable from a Prime Minister who denied climate crisis in 2014.

After China and USA, India is the third-largest emitter of carbon dioxide. Carbon is a way of life for India. Travelling in Orissa’s deep iron-ore mines is a mirror of India’s ambition. Trucks after trucks laden with iron-ore busily criss-cross the mine that employs thousands and supports a burgeoning economy.

I met the Juang tribes here in the deep forests of Koraput. They live in the forest and survive on minor forest produce. The mines caused the earthquakes. Sarajevo tells me about the blasts in the mines that led their homes to collapse. They took refuge in the forest. But dwindling forest cover has meant more frequent man-animal conflict and wild elephant attacks.

Climate-induced migration is on the rise in India, according to the latest IIED[1] report. From extended droughts and heat waves to flash floods and hailstorms and even locust attacks, India’s poor have been the collaterals of nature’s fury. According to the Global Climate Index 2021, India ranks in the top 10 countries worst affected by climate change.

Yet just like the misses of the Indian cricket teams in the T20 world cup, are India’s commitments on climate change.

Bangladesh’s Fragility

The minnows of yesteryears are a power to reckon on the field today. Team Bangladesh's failure in this World Cup is attributed to their preparedness. An irony not lost off-field in the climate debate. Bangladesh, like India, is heavily reliant on agriculture and an enormous population sits on a climate time bomb. It is predicted that as sea levels rise, the country will lose almost 80% of its land surface.

I met Rahim many years ago. He lives with his family of six on a char (island) on the Teesta River in Northern Bangladesh. Chars emerge from the river bed as a part of a riverine system made up of deposition, erosion and re-deposition.

Rahim grew up on the chars. His elder daughter lives with her husband on another char. For close to 20 million people, the chars are home. In a country where living is gambling with poverty, the chars are a way of survival. The poorest flock to chars that temporarily emerge from the sea bed; build temporary shelter and farm basic crops. They move as one island sub-merges and the other rises. They survive on an early warning system built in nature; animal footprints and nature sounds. But that is rapidly changing. The intensity and frequency of cyclones and floods have increased. The monsoons have extended, leading to the country barely staying afloat.

Today, Bangladesh is described as the laboratory of disaster and ground zero for climate change with the next disaster around the corner.

Australia’s Maiden Run with the Cup

Australia has won the T20 World Cup, but the Scott Morrison Government is still fidgeting with numbers and commitments in Glasgow. Much like the vaccination faux pas, Australia’s commitment to Glasgow does not reflect domestic policies. Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce on ABC News this morning, advocates selling coal. In his words, “There is a strong international demand for coal and Australia should take advantage of it.”

The Prime Minister speaks of meeting targets in 2030 when consumption patterns and policies show targets will not be met. Flabbergasting is this stance given the unfolding climate catastrophe world-over and in Australia.

So what is the Australian stance on climate commitments? According to the Climate Council, Australia is the worst performing in all developed countries for cutting greenhouse emissions and moving beyond fossil fuels. Emissions in technology and transport have increased when they ought to have been systematically lowered. Australia is a fossil fuel giant, with coal and gas industries that are among the world’s biggest drivers of climate change.

Australia is the number two exporter of coal in the world. It wants to keep its fossil fuel industry, jobs and profits. It is also under tremendous pressure from its traditional partners to honour climate commitments. Thus a conjecture, an “Australian way” of reducing greenhouse emissions (GHS), without cutting coal production is on offer. Here is an excellent read on the Prime Minister’s speech in Glasgow.

Australia has declined from slashing methane gas emissions in this decade. It has also refused to sign the petition on phasing out coal. In a classic case of populism and capitalist pursuits, critical climate concerns have been put on the back burner. Climate change and uncontrolled temperatures have led to some devastating fires in Australian land. The Bushfires of 2019 are unprecedented in the lives and land lost.

Villains old and New

As the curtains fall on COP26 and T20 Wor

ld Cup do we stand any wiser in our commitment? Australia’s maiden world cup victory after a disastrous start to the tournament is a positive. (No, I am not talking about the face-off with the French President here)Perhaps their commitment in the cricket field will inspire action from their leaders; Commitment to adapt to cleaner fuels and cut emissions; To fulfil its obligations as a developed nation on its climate commitments; To take ownership of building a sustainable and healthy planet.

There is a new villain on the block- India. It is the new reason for the failure of COP26. India lobbied for a “phase down” of coal over a “phase out” of coal in the final document. A term pushed by China and US repeatedly. But is phasing out coal the only solution? What about other fossil fuels like natural gas and oil? As we know, there are an abundance of both in European countries and the US in which case, the economies of scale are badly skewed. Also, are we ever to address climate injustice? That emissions and targets are imposed by the rich over the poor, but cannot be met without the support and committed resources?

But all is not lost in UAE with packed stadiums of cricket lovers, oblivious to a raging pandemic. COP26 has been a success there, with UAE as the first gulf nation to pledge a reduction in carbon emissions.

[1] International Institute for Environment and Development