I learned about what I will call “bottom-up imperialism“. Simply put, it goes like this: In Copenhagen summit in 2009, the negotiations collapsed because the Global North evaded its historical responsibility. So they postponed a decision to keep warming below 2C. Then they invented “intended nationally determined contributions” (INDCs) for emission reductions and climate finance. It means, instead of defining the needed global cut and distributing it to countries based on equity (“top-down“), each country would announce their voluntary contribution until Paris.
The problem is that the current INDCs will lock us into a 3C warming, not compatible with a liveable planet.
Now the UN negotiators avoid talking about this gap (because that would be a top-down approach ^_^ ) and say “this is a beginning, we will make it better later on”. (meaning, I guess, worse storms and more extractivism will follow, this was just the beginning of destruction)* They will simply not correct the INDCs in Paris.
I find it very curious how a bottom-up approach is adopted to maintain ecological imperialism.
Sinan, December 8th
* Just to give you an idea: Turkey “committed” to doubling its emissions in 15 years. What a beginning!
