New study exposes the global injustice of the climate crisis: Countries that emit the least greenhouse gases suffer the most severe health damage
Maya Falah, Angle - news agency for science and the environment
A decade has passed sinceThe Paris Agreement was signed. Where world leaders pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and curb global warming. The UN Climate Conference (COP30) is currently taking place in Brazil, and it seems that we have not made much progress since 2015 – except for the fact that the climate continues to change and the Earth continues to warm. As the countries of the world continue to vigorously emit greenhouse gases, a moral paradox is revealed: the polluter is not necessarily the one who pays the price.Article New from the Laboratory for Health and Climate Resilience from the School of Public Health at the University of Haifa, presented At the Second Ramat Hanadiv Conference on the topic of "Nature, Man and Health", a disturbing picture emerges. Countries in the Global North, led by the United States, Europe, China, and Japan, are responsible for most carbon dioxide emissions. However, the main victims are countries in the Global South, especially countries in Africa, Southeast Asia, and India, which suffer the highest mortality from extreme heat, malaria, and diseases related to climate change.
A cycle of injustice
"The richer and more developed countries, where there is more consumption, are the main causes of climate change," explains Prof. Maya Negev, head of the laboratory, who wrote the article together with Dr. Matan Singer of Bar Ilan University. According to her, greenhouse gas emissions are mainly related to energy consumption, private transportation and flights, and increased consumption of consumer goods and animal food. "We see this on a global level: there are the most polluting countries, and there are the most affected countries - and there is no overlap between them. The developing countries that consume less, cause significantly fewer emissions, but they are more affected by climate change," explains Negev.
The research team found that there is an inverse relationship between the level of preparedness of countries for climate change and their level of vulnerability. In other words, the places that are most prepared for climate change are the ones that suffer the least, and vice versa. "Although climate change is global, the rich countries know how to prepare and deal with it, and reduce damage to human life and property, and they have the means to do so; the poor countries are less successful," she explains. The countries of the North benefit from health systems and infrastructure that allow them to deal with fires, heat waves and floods, while many of the countries of the South remain helpless in the face of these threats. This creates a cycle of injustice: those who have emitted the least greenhouse gases pay the highest price, in health, mortality and environmental insecurity.
This gap also exists within the countries themselves. "If there is Extreme heat wave in Israel"Most of the population has air conditioning, meaning they have a means to protect themselves," says Negev. "But in African countries and also in rich countries, when it comes to poor people, they don't have air conditioning, which is the most immediate protection against a heat wave. This means an increase in mortality, heart disease, strokes, and damage to both physical and mental health," she explains.
"In Israel too there is The climate gap This. The top socioeconomic decile in Israel emits 25 times more greenhouse gases than the bottom decile, when looking at electricity consumption and vehicle use. In addition, the bottom decile is much more sensitive because There are no air conditioners"Because they work outside in jobs like agriculture, construction, and cleaning, and there is a higher chance that they don't have a private car, and the exposure to extreme heat is higher," says Negev.
Countries in the Global North, primarily the United States, Europe, China, and Japan, are responsible for most carbon dioxide emissions. Photo: Pixabay
China in the lead, but not necessarily
Another issue the article explores is measuring climate responsibility. While China is currently the world's leading emitter of carbon dioxide, the picture changes when looking at per capita figures. "While China is the largest polluter in absolute terms, its per capita carbon emissions only place it in the 85th percentile of countries in the world," the article says.
The average Chinese citizen pollutes much less than citizens in developed countries like North America, Australia, and Russia, and certainly less than residents of small, wealthy countries like Luxembourg or Qatar, which are at the top of the list. In other words, China pays the image price of a huge industry and a huge population, but is not necessarily the main polluter per person.
"When you look at China and India, countries with over a billion inhabitants each, which entered the race for economic growth late, you see that just because they emit a lot doesn't mean that every person there pollutes like a person in the Western world," Negev emphasizes. "In addition, it's important to remember that China produces many of the products for the Western world, which increases its emissions, even though its citizens are not the ones consuming the products. These are things that are important to take into account when talking about climate responsibility."
Europe: Reducing emissions without compromising quality of life
While countries in the global south continue to pay the health price of the climate crisis, a positive trend can be seen in Europe. According to the article, many countries on the continent have succeeded in reducing carbon dioxide emissions in recent decades while maintaining a high standard of living.
European countries experienced a decline in emissions between 1970 and 2019, compared to increases in emissions in India and China, but they still rank among the top quartiles in terms of emissions per capita – a figure that illustrates that reducing emissions does not come at the expense of the economy or quality of life. The European example shows, the researchers say, that it is possible to break the traditional link between economic growth and environmental pollution – a change of direction that does not require giving up prosperity, but rather choosing green policies and investing in clean energy.
The research team calls for designing and implementing fairer climate policies, in which developed countries not only reduce emissions, but also help finance adaptation in vulnerable countries. Decisions made inCOP27 And at COP28 like a foundation "Loss and Damage" have not yet been translated into significant support on the ground.
"Historical pollutants should play a role in helping the main victims prepare and be prepared," says Negev. "The global north has been polluting for decades, and now its role is to see how it now helps the global south – both to develop without increasing emissions, and also to prepare for a changing climate: for floods, droughts, fires, extreme heat waves and storms, so that climate change does not affect them as it does today."
At the individual level, Negev says these are gaps that can be reduced. “On the one hand, we see that there is an increase in morbidity and mortality related to climate change, but on the other hand, it is preventable – and this is something that can be done at the global, national and local levels,” she says. “There are many adjustments that can be made at the individual level, for example, better insulation for homes, and adjustments in employment such as not working outside during hot hours. There is also no shortage of measures at the municipal level, for example, cooling public spaces through shade and proper urban planning. Instead of air conditioners and cars that increase the gaps between rich and poor and heat up public spaces, we can plan for the changing climate and create More shaded public space", efficient public transportation and walkability."
"The gaps we see here are gaps that have always existed – everywhere the poor are sicker and die earlier, but climate change increases these gaps even more. As soon as we reduce exposure to extreme heat, we reduce these gaps, and through the right planning policies, lives can be saved," she concludes.
More of the topic in Hayadan:
