A recent report that was described by UN Secretary-General António Guterres as “an atlas of suffering”, was overshadowed by the Russia-Ukraine crisis, while the calls for concerted efforts by governments to prepare for a warmer world faded to the sounds of bombs and screams civilians running for their lives.
The authors of the report indicated that the Russia-Ukraine conflict could not only damage climate action but also the entire global common actions.
The escalated Russian-Ukrainian conflict is threatening massive civilian casualties and displacement, in addition to soaring humanitarian needs in the areas of operations.
However, the spillover from the conflict and the resort to economic sanctions weapon are threatening other devastating consequences that will not be limited to areas of operations and will not disappear at any time soon. The conflict is seen as a gamechanger in the world geopolitical scene that may alter world political dynamics and threaten the global economic recovery after the coronavirus pandemic.
Today, we have already seen the effects of the Russian attack on Ukraine are rippling out to world markets and even to the sports and entertainment world, where figures have spoken out and events have been changed.
The conflict, which may shatter the world into two poles, will make it more difficult for nations to reach a consensus over measures to combat common threats. How can divided world powers unite for actions against common threats to the earth, while they take arms against each other on the battle field?
The anticipated economic crisis is will hinder the provision of funds for causes such as combating climate change or eliminating hunger or even empowering vulnerable people.
A prolonged war and sanctions will require major European and Nato countries to shift more money to armament plans and compensate the economic losses due to sanctions. This may in turn reinforce the rhetoric of those who argue that slashed budgets for foreign aid and international climate finance can be used to improve the internal economic situation.
Providing the financial support that vulnerable countries require will not be an easy case to make and so are the funds required for energy transition and environmental plans.
The conflict came in a delicate time for the world that grabbles with Covid-19 pandemic, deteriorating environmental situation and looming economic crisis that all needed concerted common action.
The recent UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report for example said if human-caused global warming isn’t limited to just another couple tenths of a degree, an Earth now struck regularly by deadly heat, fires, floods, and drought in future decades will degrade in 127 ways with some being “potentially irreversible.”
The report indicated that more people are going to die each year from heat waves, diseases, extreme weather, air pollution, and starvation because of global warming.
Unfortunately, the Russia-Ukraine conflict can be a catalyst that will only accelerate this human suffering.
