How paralysis of global climate change negotiations affects us

A police officer assists a child during tree-planting in Narasha Forest, Baringo County, on December 13, 2024. [File, Standard]

Climate change negotiations have been under way for over three decades, yet there is no quantifiable evidence of success in realising the various climate-related targets and agreements. Instead, over the same period, humanity has doubled atmospheric carbon emissions, exacerbating the climate crisis.

At the same time, awareness of the problem has been built, leading to adoption by 196 countries of the Paris Agreement, whereby countries committed themselves to limiting global temperature increases to less than 2oC above pre-industrial levels, and would pursue efforts to limit that increase to 1.50C. Under the same agreement, parties also agreed to establish a loss and damage facility, another milestone.