As this year's United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) gears up to conclude on Friday, it is abundantly clear that one of our most urgent pleas for help in tackling the climate crisis is, yet again, being sidelined.
Bangladesh, along with various other developing and underdeveloped countries, appealed to the developed nations to provide the funds required for climate reparations -- funds that were promised to us by those responsible for the mess we find ourselves in.
The developed nations had made a pledge earlier to provide $100 billion annually to the countries most vulnerable to climate change -- which we are yet to see implemented.
As per a large number of the responsible nations in question, a special loss and damage fund needs to be implemented, the specifics of which will need to be discussed at length, and can be declared at next year's conference.
In other words, we have not gotten any closer to our rightful demands being met.
While vulnerable nations braving climate-induced adversities have made strong arguments at COP27 for rich countries to pay for the damages that their sheer negligence has caused, the developed world continues to evade accountability.
This really cannot go on any longer. Rich, polluting countries cannot propose further distractions in hopes of absolving themselves of their responsibility towards the victims of their actions.
There is no denying the fact that the current climate crisis has been caused mainly by the major industrial powers, and continues to be perpetuated by their shameless disregard for the damage they have caused. At the receiving end of this catastrophe, unfortunately, remain the poorer nations that had no hand in causing this mess.
At this stage, when climate change is indubitably the biggest threat to our existence, rich nations failing to cooperate and assist climate-vulnerable countries is nothing short of an act of cruelty and an abuse of power.
The developed world cannot be allowed to go scot-free for their actions -- or inaction -- pertaining to the climate crisis. They must be made to pay for the mess they've created, and ensure that further damage is not caused due to their transgressions.
