13:03 16 January 2022
The poorer countries will suffer the most from climate change
When it comes to the global energy transition, it is important to distinguish between the global North and the global South. The rich countries are conventionally called the global North, and the poorer countries are called the global South. It should be remembered that the global North is responsible for the majority of greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change. It is even about 85 percent of all emissions according to some calculations. However, it is the less efficient countries of the global south that are more vulnerable to the consequences of climate change.
"We, as richer countries, have some kind of responsibility to facilitate the path to good living conditions for the inhabitants of the global South," Monika Sadkowska from WWF Poland, coordinator of the Secretariat of the Forum of Mayors for Just Transition, said.
"Everyone has the right to a sense of security, access to energy, food, clean water, and sanitation. However, the way these needs are met should change. Rich countries satisfied them with very energy-consuming processes – such as energy production from fossil fuels. Because of the fact that nowadays other sources of energy are available – it should be emphasized that the improvement of living conditions in poorer countries should be based on clean energy," Sadkowska added.
