CBDR refers to one of the principles adopted by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in 1992, which places responsibility for the climate crisis on Global North countries (known as “Annex 1” countries). These obligations include advancing agendas, programs, and decisions to address climate change.
The concept means that Global South countries, although not responsible for the problem, can help to alleviate climate crises in line with their differentiated responsibility.
In other words, countries that have NOT caused the climate crisis and are the most vulnerable to climate disasters are compelled—in an imperialistic, racist and colonial fashion—to take on roles and functions in a) a structure of environmental service sales, commercialization of ecosystems, and financialization of Nature,, b) plans for false climate solutions, and c) a system of climate finance with various conditionalities, debt, and required investments.
Those countries whose history and economic model have caused the climate crisis have blackmailed the rest of the world, declaring they will only take responsibility for this disaster if the other countries accept their “common but differentiated responsibilities,” imposing their “green” business and offset-based economy on everyone else.
The Global North’s responsibility includes acknowledging its climate debt to the South—which must be repaid immediately.
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