It looks different from the 'south'
The events and negotiations of last week at COP15 have emphasised the difference in the positions of the developed and developing nations. But the divide is not clearly defined nor is there just one position in the developing world, as my colleagues Priti Parikh and Gary Lawrence have pointed out in their recent blogs.
Africa faces significant exposure to climate risks of high magnitude and has limited capacity for positive response. Many communities are already living in areas subject to flooding, are attempting to grow food on land that is depleted or subject to drought, or are lacking access to clean water or adequate sanitation.
For this reason (and also because most African countries have little scope to mitigate already low emission levels) adaptation measures should take priority in most African nations. Such measures should be focussed on improving quality of life: health, social and economic welfare, that is, addressing basic human needs.
In South Africa - responsible for approximately 1% of global emissions and where President Zuma has committed to reduce emissions by 34% by 2020 - there will be a need to blend adaptation and mitigation measures in a coordinated strategy that allows for emissions reduction while maintaining economic development. The availability of a financing package for developing countries that facilitates such strategies is key to the success of COP15.
With acknowledgment to colleagues in Arup's African offices.
David Singleton
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