Global leaders gathered at the United Nations climate summit in New York, where U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and other speakers expressed concerns that growing tensions between major powers are hindering climate cooperation.
Guterres emphasized that the world’s ability to address international challenges is being outpaced by the speed at which crises are unfolding. He noted that the spread of digital technologies has facilitated the dissemination of climate misinformation, which in turn fuels polarization and deepens distrust. Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley echoed Guterres’s sentiments, warning that the erosion of trust between governments and citizens will exacerbate social alienation at a time when collective action is needed to shape a new world.
However, digital misinformation is just one of the many obstacles facing the climate movement in 2024. The ongoing conflict in Ukraine, sparked by Russia’s invasion, has created a significant rift between the Western world and the Russia-China-Iran axis, making international cooperation increasingly difficult.
According to an analysis by the Initiative on Greenhouse Gas Accounting of War (IGGAW), Russia’s invasion has released more greenhouse gas emissions since 2022 than the combined emissions of 175 countries, including potent gases like sulfur hexafluoride. The report likened the emissions to running 90 million petrol cars for a year, with further emissions expected during Ukraine’s rebuilding process. The group estimated that Russia owes around $32 billion in “climate reparations,” although a strategy for collecting these fees remains unclear.
The conflict has also exacerbated global problems such as food and energy insecurity, leading to increased pollution as developing nations scramble to address these shortfalls. Climate activists have threatened to hold Russia accountable for the environmental damage caused by its invasion, further fueling an atmosphere of distrust and resistance.
Meanwhile, China, the world’s largest polluter, is becoming increasingly distant and distrustful of the West, despite its rhetoric on climate action. Beijing’s enthusiasm for “green” technologies like solar power and electric vehicles is driven by its desire to dominate these markets, rather than a genuine commitment to reducing carbon emissions.
India, the third-largest global polluter, has explicitly stated that it will not make further sacrifices to address climate change, echoing the sentiments of the “Global South” group of developing nations. These nations argue that global warming is a problem created by Western powers and must be solved by them.
As a result, American and European voters are becoming increasingly resistant to making sacrifices to address climate change, particularly when they see other nations contributing to the problem. The prospect of major reductions in their lifestyle, rather than just paying a premium for gas, is becoming a hard sell, especially when other nations are not seen as pulling their weight.
