Action and inaction on climate

As I write this, world leaders are meeting in Brazil for the annual climate conference of parties (COP 30).

- SUNITA NARAIN

This COP is being held in the shadow of the massive churning in the world — not the kind that makes headlines but deeper undercurrents: Collisions of powerful forces working against one another. What will emerge as the victor? At this point, the only certainty is uncertainty.

Consider this. The World Meteorological Organization has reported that carbon-dioxide levels in the atmosphere have reached a record high — rising from 420.4 ppm (parts per million) in 2023 to 423.9 ppm in 2024. According to the agency, this signals new threats of rising temperatures and more extreme weather events. Yet, we are witnessing clear signs of reversal in the commitment needed to take urgent climate action. And it is not just the United States (US) that is leading this retreat. There is a broader global hesitancy; countries find it difficult to scale up low-carbon solutions that can drastically cut emission. So, the question is, what will “win” — the urgency to act in the face of mounting climate threats, or inaction driven by economic interests?