Foreign climate activist calls for reassessing postcolonial structures at COP29

Jacob Johns, a climate activist and a representative of Indigenous peoples from the Americas, has called for a reevaluation of the postcolonial structure of the Global South, including countries where Indigenous populations suffer from ongoing colonial legacies, Caliber.Az reports per local media.

Speaking at the USCAN conference, titled "Indigenous Perspectives on the Outcomes of COP," held as part of COP29 in Baku, Johns stated, “At COP29, we must work together to ensure that climate change, which directly impacts the Global South, also bearing the weight of colonial oppression, results in the least harm.”

Johns emphasised that developed nations must recognise the vast financial commitments needed to tackle climate change. “We’re talking trillions of dollars if we are to succeed,” he added.

Meanwhile, the conference also touched upon the ongoing Middle East conflict, its environmental repercussions, and the chronic shortage of climate financing.

Aya Khurshid, a representative of both Egypt and Palestine, remarked, “It’s not just about climate change; it’s about how we approach the economy and politics.”

A group of Indigenous leaders and representatives from the Global South, who have experienced the impacts of global colonial history, called for urgent action to address climate change. They discussed the need for global climate funding from the world’s wealthiest nations to support those most affected.

In closing, conference participants reiterated the importance of events like COP and the need for unity in the fight against climate change, while also highlighting the crucial responsibility of financial commitments from developed countries.

By Aghakazim Guliyev