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The idea that climate change is solely an environmental issue misses the bigger picture - '''climate change represents and perpetuates power imbalances across the world'''. The industrialised nations of the Global North emit about '''80%''' of global greenhouse gases, while developing nations from the Global South face the worst impacts.
The areas in red, mostly closer to the equator, will be affected the most. They include central South America, the Arabian Peninsula and most of Africa. Note that the United States and Europe are projected to have moderate-to-mild impact.
Furthermore, although the UN has recognised the category of '''environmental and climate refugees''', they are not protected by international law and asylum systems, nor states in European Union, several of which are currently closing their borders to refugees and building fences.
Developing countries '''lack the resources''' to address this new environmental and social threat that is climate change. Least developed countries are especially vulnerable, since their budget is stretched to meet basic needs, such as access to food, water, and housing.
So, the debate centers on the obligation of industrialized states - due to '''historical responsibility''' - and international organizations to provide development assistance to developing countries, and the current controversy also focuses on the process of globalization, including the right and possibility of equal participation of developing countries in that process, and its relation to human rights. However, '''the climate change fight is useless if only developed countries reduce their emissions'''. Developing countries, especially the most advanced ones, need to take a part too. In fact the '''EU’s stance''' is that financial support to developing countries should be based on '''"low carbon development strategies"''' developed by them. These should set out which measures a country can take without additional financial and technical assistance. The European Commission also proposes that developed countries can contribute via the use of '''carbon crediting mechanisms and public funding'''. Public financial contributions should be based on emission levels and each country’s economic capability, as well as comparable between them.
'''Evaluating the effectiveness of international cooperation in addressing climate change is a complex undertaking.''' From the one perspective, the fact that countries are implementing the '''[[United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change]]''', the '''[[Kyoto Protocol]]''' and the '''[[Paris Agreement]]''', three major international treaties on the topic, would suggest that they have sought to cooperate. From another point of view, if the duty to cooperate requires '''solutions to the climate change problem''', it could be regarded as a failure of countries to effectively cooperate the fact that the actual and impending consequences of climate change are increasing in intensity. In fact, it clearly shows the failure to arrive at a binding agreement providing for effective mitigation, adaptation and other climate measures.
Among the '''criticism made to the more recent Paris Agreement''' is the fact that the contribution that each individual country should make in order to achieve the worldwide goal is '''determined by all countries individually'''. Also, the country's emissions targets themselves are '''not binding''' as a matter of international law, unlike the ones in the Kyoto Protocol, and there is '''no enforcement''' if a set target is not met.<ref>Article “What Does the Paris Agreement Mean for Climate Resilience and Adaptation?“, retrieved from: http://www.wri.org/blog/2015/12/what-does-paris-agreement-mean-climate-resilience-and-adaptation</ref> This is due to a number of big emitting emerging economies - including China, India and South Africa - being unwilling to sign up to a condition that they felt could hamper their economic growth and development. However, the '''regular review and submission of emission reduction targets will be binding''' and so too will the '''$100 billion fund from developed economies to help emerging and developing nations decarbonise their energy mix'''. The funding will come from public and private, bilateral and multilateral, and alternative sources of finance with the ultimate goal of meaningful mitigation action and transparent implementation by developing countries.<ref>Article “Financing Adaptation”, retrieved from: https://ec.europa.eu/clima/policies/adaptation/financing_en</ref> [[File:Climate-Analytics.jpg|thumb|Average warming projected for 2100]] Despite this, as you can see in Picture 2, the predictions are still that '''temperature will rise 2,7ºC by 2100''' <ref>Article “COP21: What does the Paris climate agreement mean for me?”, retrieved from: http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-35092127 </ref> even if all the Paris Agreement conditions are met, which is well above the 2ºC threshold. This calls for further measures and raises the question on whether a global power shift from fossil fuels in which fossil fuels would no longer be the cheaper fuel is the only way the global climate change threat could be truly addressed and tackled effectively. '''<big>Stakeholders</big>''' - European Union - [[European Commission]] - The United States of America - the second largest GHG’s emitter - In 2015, U.S. greenhouse gas emissions totaled 6,587 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents - with Trump as the new president and his very well known support of the fossil fuel industries, as well as cynicism on climate change, will the US opt out of the Paris Agreement? - Developing countries - G20 - Climate vulnerable countries - International court of justice - Industries