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New Straits Times
02-08-2025
- Politics
- New Straits Times
NST Leader: Brazil's COP30 call to action
BRAZIL has a noble reason to host COP30, the United Nations annual climate summit, aka Conference of the Parties: to showcase to the international community that multilateral action is the only way to keep the planet liveable. Earlier in July, when hosting the 17th BRICS summit, Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva put forward his formula: multilateralism, not the law of the strongest, is the only equitable way to solve global problems. He is right at many levels, but let's take climate change. It recognises no boundaries. What gets burned in one country doesn't just stay there; it heats up the rest of the world. The action of a few nations won't work; it must be the collective effort of all. That means multilateralism must trump the law of the strongest. But by hosting COP30, Brazil has taken on three humongous challenges, all the result of failures caused by preceding COPs. First is the failed promise to triple the capacity of renewable energy, a pledge made at COP28 in Dubai. Second is climate finance, which COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan failed to do much about. Finally, arguably the toughest challenge for Brazil, is to ensure that the 196 countries expected to attend COP30 in the Amazon forest city of Belem put a brake on new investments in fossil fuels so that net zero can be achieved in 2050. Start with the renewable energy pledge made at COP28. Last year, the International Energy Agency (IEA), made media headlines when it warned that its analysis of close to 150 nations' climate action plans led it to conclude that the pledge to triple renewable energy capacity by 2030 will not be met. Meeting the Dubai promise means the world must hit 11,000 gigawatts (GW) by 2030, but IEA's best-case scenario is 8,000GW. The gap may be bridgeable, but worse things have happened since the report was issued, which may widen the gap further. It may not be a bridge too far for Brazil, but to marshal some recalcitrant states would not be easy. Climate finance is equally a mammoth task. It has been an unfulfilled promise for the longest time. According to the 2025 Climate and Catastrophe Insight Report, published by Aon, an insurance company, the world lost US$368 billion to natural disasters last year. The amount is at best an underestimate. Baku, the host of COP29, will be remembered for the wrong thing on climate finance, though it badged itself as a climate finance summit. Instead, it will be remembered for walkouts and protests on climate finance, though a paltry US$300 billion every year for developing countries was eventually agreed. Belem's challenge is to beat Baku to reach US$1.3 trillion that many analysts say is needed. Finally, a giant of a challenge for Brazil: to get the world to do everything needed now to get to net zero by 2050. A tough one for Belem, given that governments around the world are spending trillions of dollars subsidising the fossil fuel industry. What is worse, some countries are putting aside their pledge not to approve any new investments in fossil fuels. This is not the way to slow climate change.
Daily Maverick
30-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily Maverick
Africa must capitalise on transformative High Seas Treaty for global ocean conservation
Having shaped the treaty, Africa must capitalise on recent global momentum to benefit from a new era in ocean governance. In June, the third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3) culminated in an ambitious political declaration that marks a turning point for global ocean governance. The highlight was the progress made in adopting the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement (High Seas Treaty). This landmark agreement tackles governance and regulatory gaps in areas beyond countries' jurisdiction — 64% of the ocean's total surface. These waters are critical to planetary health and human wellbeing, but are often overexploited, polluted and abused due to the lack of an overarching regulatory framework. The treaty fills these gaps by focusing on four pillars: marine genetic resources and benefit sharing; area-based management tools, including marine protected areas; environmental impact assessments; and capacity building and technology transfer. UNOC3 generated significant momentum for the agreement. In the days leading up to the conference, 28 ratifications were lodged and 22 new ratifications took place at UNOC3, bringing the total to 51 out of the 60 required for it to come into force. Overall, 139 countries have signed on to the treaty. Africa's engagement with the process has been both strategic and lacklustre. On the one hand, the African Group of Negotiators shaped the treaty, championing the common heritage of humanity principle in negotiations, and before that, the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. On the other hand, only seven out of 55 African countries have officially completed their ratification processes. Kenya and Sierra Leone have ratified, but must still deposit their instruments at the UN. Thirty-four African countries have signed. Still, the threshold of 60 ratifications will probably be reached during September's UN General Assembly meeting. The agreement then enters into force 120 days later on 1 January 2026, allowing time for its translation and publication, and for states to prepare for implementation. Once in force, the first Conference of the Parties is convened. The Conference of the Parties is the decision-making body that oversees the treaty's implementation and development. Obligations under the treaty extend only to countries that have ratified it. Those that haven't — including most African states — risk exclusion from its many benefits. These include decision-making power at the Conference of the Parties, without which countries can't shape key implementation and resource allocation decisions, or designate high seas protected areas. Ratification also gives countries access to benefit-sharing arrangements linked to the exploitation of marine genetic resources. Before the Conference of the Parties, a Preparatory Commission will make recommendations on key procedural and institutional matters. It meets again from 18-29 August in New York. These meetings are open to all UN member states, and African states must attend if they want to shape the processes and institutions created for treaty implementation. Ensuring fair representation and benefit-sharing for African states — particularly regarding marine genetic resources — is essential for the legitimacy and effectiveness of the new high seas governance regime established under the treaty. Countries that have ratified the treaty will receive full access to financial mechanisms established under the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Agreement. To spearhead these efforts, the High Ambition Coalition on the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Agreement, co-chaired by the European Union (EU), Palau and Seychelles, unites over 40 countries to promote the treaty's rapid ratification and implementation. The coalition shares expertise and fosters global ocean governance cooperation. The International Union for Conservation of Nature is the coalition's secretariat, providing scientific and legal support to help members fulfil the treaty's objectives. It facilitates the €40-million EU-funded Global Ocean Programme to support states' involvement in high seas biodiversity-related processes. Marine Protected Areas Once in force, the Conference of the Parties will operationalise the treaty, establish its institutions and begin designating marine protected areas in the high seas. Several ecologically significant areas adjacent to Africa are likely candidates, including the Walvis Ridge in the Southeast Atlantic and the Saya de Malha Bank midway between the Seychelles and Mauritius. These zones are critical for migratory species, fisheries productivity and ecosystem connectivity. Establishing marine protected areas could benefit biodiversity protection, fisheries sustainability and ecosystem resilience, while supporting coastal communities' livelihoods. African countries can prepare for the post-ratification phase in two ways. First, blue economy and fisheries, environment, science, international relations and maritime security ministries must coordinate, and designated focal points must be empowered. Ocean policies and strategies should be reviewed to align with the treaty's objectives. Some commentators describe the agreement as the first global framework for high seas governance. But several regimes already exist, including regional fisheries management organisations like the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission, and organisations like the International Maritime Organisation and International Seabed Authority. However, each has its own sectoral or regional mandates, which leads to governance gaps and overlaps. The Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction treaty provides a holistic, legally binding framework that coordinates and strengthens existing regimes. This approach is crucial for designating and managing marine protected areas in international waters. The Conference of the Parties can establish these areas and other tools, but must consult regional fisheries organisations when mandates overlap. States party to the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Agreement and these regional bodies must promote the aims of both instruments. Cost of monitoring, surveillance and enforcement The second way African countries can prepare for the treaty's implementation relates to the probable high cost of managing marine protected areas. Strictly protected areas are typically less expensive to administer than multiple-use zones. This is because complexity raises the cost of monitoring, surveillance and enforcement — activities that African countries have traditionally struggled to deliver. One innovative solution is uncrewed surface and underwater vessels, which offer cost-effective, continuous surveillance over vast areas. Still, once a threat is detected, enforcement must follow, and additional responsibilities may be costly. Regional and international cooperation, joint patrols and information sharing will be needed, including activities under the African Union and regional navies' frameworks. That means Africa must develop robust maritime security strategies and enhanced regional cooperation. UN Secretary-General António Guterres told UNOC3 delegates that Africa was at the heart of ocean action. Momentum around the treaty offers African states the chance to influence how the high seas are managed and protected, building on its strong legacy in ocean governance.
Daily Maverick
29-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily Maverick
ICJ ruling a game changer that can potentially turbocharge climate action
On 23 July 2025, the International Court of Justice (the United Nations' Organisation's principal judicial body) delivered a landmark Advisory Opinion, affirming that states must protect the climate system from the catastrophic impacts of climate change, notably through instruments such as the Paris Agreement and its ambition to cap global warming at 1.5°C relative to preindustrial levels. The court concludes in paragraph 457 (page 130) that 'the climate change treaties set forth binding obligations for States parties to ensure the protection of the climate system and other parts of the environment from anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions'. These obligations, the court adds, emanate from several key instruments that states are party to, including among others: United Nations Charter; the Kyoto Protocol of 1997; the Conference of the Parties (COP) and its Paris Agreement of 2015; the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea; the Montreal Protocol; the Biodiversity Convention; the Convention on Desertification; the Customary International Convention; and international human rights law. The work of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) provided a lot of the scientific basis that the court used to determine the urgency of climate change. Specifically, states' responsibilities include: 'mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to climate change'; 'limiting their greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing their greenhouse gas sinks and reservoirs'; co-operation 'with each other in order to achieve the underlying objective of the Convention'; complying 'with applicable provisions of the Protocol'; acting with due diligence in 'making an adequate contribution to achieving the temperature goal set out in the Agreement' within the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities; 'obligation to prepare, communicate and maintain successive and progressive nationally determined contributions'; and pursuing 'measures which are capable of achieving the objectives set out in their successive nationally determined contributions'. The court added that failure to protect the environment and limit climate change was an internationally wrongful act that exposed states to lawsuits or other formal processes for compensation, remediation or reparation. Governments and activists around the world are hailing the ICJ decision as a game changer that can potentially turbocharge bolder and swifter climate action in light of increasingly severe extreme weather events. However, a lot of work still needs to be done for that dream to become a reality. Let us take a closer look. Background The idea to sue major polluting nations and corporations for their inaction as it pertains to moving faster to curb greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions was first initiated by students from the law faculty of the University of South Pacific. The government of Vanuatu backed the campaign and took it to the United Nations organisation (UN), which then referred it to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on 12 April 2023. Vanuatu and parties wanted the court to answer the following two questions: What are the legal obligations of states to protect the climate, today and tomorrow? What are the consequences if they fail to do so, particularly concerning the most vulnerable countries? The Southeast Asia, Asia Pacific regions, and even the Southwest Indian Ocean Islands have been watching nervously as sea levels rise. Vanuatu is among the Small Island Developing States that risk being wiped off the map due to rising sea levels caused by global warming, a fact highlighted by UN Secretary-General António Guterres in that famous Time Magazine cover. Indonesia is moving its capital from Jakarta to Nusantara, and Fiji has witnessed very rapid sea rise in the last half-century. Closer to Africa, Mayotte witnessed its most devastating cyclone in 2024. It is due to all these pressures that island nations are particularly active in international efforts to curb GHG emissions. After the decision was lodged, at least 99 other countries and organisations joined Vanuatu to argue for greater enforcement of international climate treaties and justiciability. Key paragraphs The Advisory Opinion is a clear and concise document that brings together all international instruments as they relate to protecting the environment inside one document, giving governments, judges, negotiation processes, trade unions, and so on the clarity that they need and a clear roadmap to making decisions. Where some have argued before that there is a void in terms of climate-change law, the court points out that there are more than enough legally binding instruments to draw from. Although the entire document is packed full of important decisions, I want to highlight just a few: Paragraph 249: 'In light of the foregoing, the Court concludes that, rather than being entirely discretionary as some participants argued, NDCs must satisfy certain standards under the Paris Agreement. All NDCs prepared, communicated and maintained by parties under the Paris Agreement must, when taken together, be capable of realizing the objectives of the Agreement which are set out in Article 2.' Paragraph 252: 'Accordingly, since the domestic mitigation obligations under Article 4, paragraph 2, establish an obligation of conduct, parties are required to act with due diligence in taking necessary measures to achieve the objectives set out in their successive NDCs.' Paragraph 256: 'The Court finds that specific obligations pertaining to adaptation are contained in Article 7, paragraph 9, of the Paris Agreement, which provides that '[e]ach Party shall, as appropriate, engage in adaptation planning processes and the implementation of actions, including the development or enhancement of relevant plans, policies and/or contributions'. This provision, introduced with the terms '[e]ach Party shall', imposes a legally binding obligation upon the parties to undertake adaptation planning actions.' Paragraph 260: 'The Court notes that the Paris Agreement establishes obligations of co-operation with respect to specific issue areas, such as adaptation, and loss and damage (Article 7, paragraphs 6 and 7; Article 8, paragraph 4).' Paragraph 268: '… the Court considers that the climate change treaties establish stringent obligations upon States to ensure the protection of the climate system and other parts of the environment from anthropogenic GHG emissions'. Paragraph 280: 'The Court reaffirms that States must fulfil their duty to prevent significant harm to the environment by acting with due diligence.' Paragraph 308: 'Climate change is a common concern. Co-operation is not a matter of choice for States but a pressing need and a legal obligation.' Paragraph 323: 'States parties to the Montreal Protocol are under an obligation to phase out, according to a fixed schedule, the production and consumption of all the main ozone-depleting substances, including certain GHGs, through control measures.' Paragraph 376: 'The Court is thus of the view that the adverse effects of climate change, including, inter alia, the impact on the health and livelihoods of individuals through events such as sea level rise, drought, desertification and natural disasters, may significantly impair the enjoyment of certain human rights. The Court will consider some of these rights, without attempting to be exhaustive.' Paragraph 393: 'The Court thus concludes that, under international law, the human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment is essential for the enjoyment of other human rights.' Paragraph 427: 'Failure of a State to take appropriate action to protect the climate system from GHG emissions — including through fossil fuel production, fossil fuel consumption, the granting of fossil fuel exploration licences or the provision of fossil fuel subsidies — may constitute an internationally wrongful act which is attributable to that State.' Paragraph 445: 'As a general observation, the Court notes that breaches of States' obligations under question (a) may give rise to the entire panoply of legal consequences provided for under the law of State responsibility.' Paragraph 452. 'In the event that restitution should prove to be materially impossible, responsible States have an obligation to compensate.' Significance In terms of the wider implications of the ICJ's Advisory Opinion, this should change everything – in principle. That said, the opinion comes of course within a very difficult international context in which nihilism, political determinism and squabbles within and between the key political blocs make urgent climate action all but impossible. The race for AI, and the continued deployment of massive energy-hungry data centres, is not helping either. Let us recall that the UN Environment Programme's Emissions Gap Report, published in October 2022, had already admitted that the international community was falling short of the Paris Agreement goals. The World Meteorological Organisation recently confirmed that 2024 was the warmest year on record. In real terms, that translates to more intense heat waves, runaway fires, drought, deadly flash floods (in South Africa, Nigeria, Mali, the US), cyclones (Mayotte) and hurricanes (US). These events certainly used to occur before, but as we saw recently in the state of Texas in the US, they are developing faster and hitting communities with more ferocity. That said, the biggest benefit of the document lies in the fact that it tells the international community that the panoply of treaties and conventions that most countries in the world have acceded to has legal effect. It clarifies justiciability. Virtually every country on the planet is signatory to both the charter of the UN and the one setting up the United Nations' Framework Convention on Climate Change, which oversees the Conference of the Parties (COP). Legal jurisdictions can no longer wring their hands in anguish and complain that they do not have enough authority or precedence to rule on matters relating to climate change. Even the United States' argument that international treaties constitute lex specialis and should therefore yield or be subordinate to more stringent national laws, was deemed erroneous. Even countries that have not acceded to these instruments can also be held liable for their transgressions under customary international law. Second, the Advisory Opinion specifically mentions fossil fuels (paragraph 427) as something that governments have a duty to bring under control. I was in Nigeria the other day for a conference, and everybody was talking about Shell's divestment efforts. Similar divestment efforts have been going on in South Africa. Shell is the first high-profile multinational to move so speedily in its divestment efforts, but the number of companies trying to evade responsibility for CO2 emissions will only grow, and so, civil society organisations must push their national governments to take swifter action to hold all polluters to account before they disappear. The ICJ decision tells them how to prepare their arguments. It also means that governments and civil society actors must forge closer ties with a variety of actors in the Global North to bring serial polluters to book. Elsewhere, there has to be a realignment of the COP negotiation blocs. China caucuses with developing countries in the G77 plus China network at the Conference of the Parties, but during the proceedings, they argued that international climate agreements and conventions were only aspirational and should continue to be regarded as such. In trying to protect its status as the factory of the world, China was effectively throwing under the bus countries like Vanuatu, Nigeria, Bangladesh and countless others that are already feeling the full impacts of climate change. Something has to give, although many of these countries hold a lot of Chinese debt. Conclusion The ICJ's Advisory Opinion is going to be used in courts, boardrooms and government offices around the world for many years to come. However, the outcome in itself does not mean that governments will suddenly start respecting all their obligations. In a highly corporatised context where most of the serial polluters are based in powerful Global North countries that fund both the UN and the ICJ, we are not about to witness a sea change in behaviour. But there is more ammunition, no doubt about it. What we need to do more of is ramp up global North-South collaboration within a new internationalism that aggressively goes after major polluters.
Euronews
28-07-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
Brazil brings COP30 to Belem to highlight poverty and climate risks
When world leaders, diplomats, business leaders, scientists and activists go to Brazil in November for the annual United Nations' climate negotiations, poverty, deforestation and much of the world's troubles will be right in their faces — by design. In past conference cities, including resort areas and playgrounds for the rich such as Bali, Cancun, Paris, Sharm El-Sheikh and Dubai, host nations show off both their amenities and what their communities have done about climate change. But this year's conference is in a high-poverty city on the edge of the Amazon to demonstrate what needs to be done, said the diplomat who will run the mega-negotiations in Belem known as COP30, or Conference of the Parties. What better way to tackle a problem than facing it head-on, however uncomfortable, COP30 President-designate André Corrêa do Lago, a veteran Brazilian diplomat, said in an interview with The Associated Press at United Nations headquarters. "We cannot hide the fact that we are in the world with lots of inequalities and where sustainability and fighting climate change is something that has to get closer to people,' do Lago said. That's what Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has in mind, he said. 'When people will go to Belem, you are going to see a developing country and city with considerable infrastructure issues still with, in relative terms, a high percentage of poverty and President Lula thinks it's very important that we talk about climate thinking of all the forests, thinking of poverty and thinking of progress,' do Lago said. 'He wants everybody to see a city that can improve thanks to the results of these debates.' Activists and the media are already feeling discomfort The rich and powerful, as well as poorer nations, activists and media, are already feeling a bit of that discomfort before getting to Belem. Even with two years of notice, Brazil is way behind in having enough hotel rooms and other accommodations for a global conference that has had 90,000 attendees. The official United Nations COP30 website says Brazil would have an official booking portal by the end of April. But specific plans weren't announced till last week when Brazil said it arranged for two cruise ships with 6,000 beds to help with lodging, saying the country is ensuring 'accommodation for all countries' and starting a system where 98 poorer nations have the option to reserve first. Skyrocketing lodging costs are a problem, do Lago conceded. Some places have been charging $15,000 (€12,888) a night for one person, and activists and others have talked of cutting back. But he said prices 'are already going down,' even as local media report otherwise. Do Lago said it will be a local holiday so residents can rent out their homes, adding "a significant supply of apartments.' A big year for climate negotiations This is a significant year for climate negotiations. The 2015 Paris climate agreement required countries to come up with their own plans to reduce the emissions of heat-trapping gases from the burning of coal, oil and natural gas and then to update those plans every five years. This year, nearly every nation — the United States, the number two carbon dioxide emitter and historically biggest polluter, withdrew from the accord earlier this year — has to submit their first plan update. Most of those updates are already late, but the United Nations wants countries to complete them by September, when world leaders gather in New York. That would give the United Nations time to calculate how much they would curb future climate change if implemented, before COP30 six weeks later. UN Secretary-General Antonio-Guterres, in an interview with AP, reiterated what officials want in those plans: that they cover each nation's entire economy, that they include all greenhouse gases and that they are in line with efforts to limit long-term human-caused warming to 1.5°C since pre-industrial times. That target is the Paris Agreement goal. And it's tough since the world is only a couple of tenths of a degree away and last year even temporarily shot past the 1.5°C mark. Do Lago said he expects the countries' plans will fall short of keeping warming below this threshold, so tackling that gap will be a crucial element of negotiations. Some big things aren't on the agenda Some of the negotiations' most important work won't be on the formal agenda, including these plans, do Lago said. Another is a road map to provide $1.3 trillion (€1.12 trillion) in financial help to poorer nations to deal with climate change. And finally, he said, Brazil 'wants very much to talk about nature, about forests.' The nearby Amazon has been an important part of Earth's natural system to suck large amounts of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, but deforestation is a major threat to that. At times, parts of the Amazon have gone from reducing carbon dioxide in the air to increasing it, a 2021 study found. On Wednesday, the United Nations' top court ruled that a clean and healthy environment is a basic human right, a decision that may bolster efforts to come up with stronger action at the November climate conference, some activists said. 'Failure of a state to take appropriate action to protect the climate system ... may constitute an internationally wrongful act,' court President Yuji Iwasawa said during the hearing. Do Lago said the challenge for countries is to think of these emission-reduction plans not as a sacrifice but as a moment to change and grow. 'One of the objectives of this COP is that we hope we will be remembered as a COP of solutions, a COP in which people realised that this agenda is creating more opportunities and challenges,' do Lago said.
See - Sada Elbalad
26-07-2025
- Entertainment
- See - Sada Elbalad
The United Nations and the Climate Summit: A Global Call for Action
walid mohamed The United Nations continues to play a central role in addressing climate change through its annual Climate Change Conferences, known as COP (Conference of the Parties). These summits bring together world leaders, scientists, activists, and organizations to develop global strategies for combating the climate crisis. At the heart of each conference is the call for urgent and collective action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, protect vulnerable ecosystems, and support developing nations in their green transition. The recent COP30, held in Belém, Brazil, emphasized the importance of climate justice, nature-based solutions, and sustainable development, especially in critical regions like the Amazon. The UN's efforts highlight that climate change is not just an environmental issue, but a matter of global peace, security, and human rights. Through global cooperation and commitment, the United Nations continues to lead the charge toward a more sustainable and resilient future. read more Analysis- Turkey Has 0 Regional Allies... Why? Analysis: Russia, Turkey... Libya in Return For Syria? Analysis: Who Will Gain Trump's Peace Plan Fruits? Analysis: Will Turkey's Erdogan Resort to Snap Election? Analysis: What Are Turkey's Aspirations in Iraq? Opinion & Analysis Analysis: Mercenaries In Libya... Who Should Be Blamed? Opinion & Analysis Analysis- How 'Libya Nightmare' Takes Erdogan to Algiers Opinion & Analysis Analysis: What Happens After Brexit? Opinion & Analysis Analysis: Strategic Significance of Libya's Sirte, Jufra! News Israeli-Linked Hadassah Clinic in Moscow Treats Wounded Iranian IRGC Fighters Arts & Culture "Jurassic World Rebirth" Gets Streaming Date News China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier Videos & Features Tragedy Overshadows MC Alger Championship Celebration: One Fan Dead, 11 Injured After Stadium Fall Lifestyle Get to Know 2025 Eid Al Adha Prayer Times in Egypt Arts & Culture South Korean Actress Kang Seo-ha Dies at 31 after Cancer Battle Business Egyptian Pound Undervalued by 30%, Says Goldman Sachs Sports Get to Know 2025 WWE Evolution Results News "Tensions Escalate: Iran Probes Allegations of Indian Tech Collaboration with Israeli Intelligence" Arts & Culture Hawass Foundation Launches 1st Course to Teach Ancient Egyptian Language
