The president of Colombia has cautioned that the increasing presence of far-right groups around the globe is a result of middle-class anxieties about potential negative impacts on their quality of life due to green policies.
During an extensive discussion with the Guardian at the Cop28 United Nations climate summit, Gustavo Petro, the first leftist president of Colombia, expressed the need for the global community to discover carbon-neutral methods of achieving prosperity. He also emphasized that his country’s abundant biodiversity would serve as the foundation for its prosperity once it transitions away from reliance on fossil fuels.
The South American country has joined an alliance of states calling for a fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty, with Petro saying he was trying prevent the “omnicide of planet Earth”.
The 63-year-old ex-rebel, who gained control in 2022, stated that Brazil must change its thinking about the Amazon in order to protect it from destruction. Petro has clashed with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva over the use of oil exploration in the world’s biggest rainforest, which Petro wants to eliminate.
The individual stated that protecting the Amazon rainforest was a crucial aspect of worldwide efforts to address climate change and that its significance was widely recognized by Colombians.
Despite Colombia’s significant production of coal, oil, and gas, the country has emerged as a prominent advocate for phasing out fossil fuels at Cop28 during the initial discussions.
“All consumption that makes one feel comfort, prosperity and a high standard of living in the United States, Europe, and other societies, such as China, is based on intensive consumption of carbon. When decarbonisation is proposed, that basis falls out. Of course it’s difficult to present an alternative,” Petro said.
The battle against the climate crisis puts [that prosperity] at risk and threatens it. This has caused growing concerns among the middle and upper classes worldwide about the implications of transitioning to a decarbonized economy.
“I believe that the increase in extreme right ideologies is fueled by fear,” he stated. “This fear is affecting the mindset of the middle class, who hold significant power in Europe and the United States, as they worry about losing their consumption, comfort, and standard of living, which may potentially grow as society undergoes transformation.”
He cautioned that prompt measures to reduce emissions were necessary to avoid further displacement of individuals due to the climate emergency.
If we do not take swift action, the world will see a rise in migration due to diminishing water resources in tropical regions. This could result in hundreds of millions of people being displaced. This potential outcome is comparable to events in Germany during the 1930s, where fear of diversity led to the development of a certain ideology.
He stated that as anti-immigration policies become more extreme, even the wealthy and privileged classes in Europe are starting to view immigrants as barbaric and threatening.
At the Cop28 event on Tuesday, Colombia became a member of the Beyond Oil & Gas Alliance, a group of governments and organizations collaborating to support the gradual elimination of oil and gas production. Petro recognized that fossil fuels play a significant role in Colombia’s current economy, but stated that this will change once production comes to an end.
In my perspective, biodiversity is a crucial source of wealth for Colombia and it is achievable. The top three countries in the world with the highest biodiversity are Brazil, Colombia, and Venezuela, indicating that our country possesses significant wealth in this aspect.
At a summit organized by Lula in August, Petro was a prominent advocate for putting an end to fossil fuel exploration in the Amazon region in order to protect it. While there has been some success in reducing deforestation in Brazil, Lula has continued to push for oil exploration in environmentally fragile areas. Additionally, Brazil is expected to become a member of the oil cartel Opec in 2024.
Petro explained that his disagreement with Lula regarding the importance of oil exploration was due to varying national circumstances.
2 is
As temperatures in the Amazon jungle increase, there is a risk of it catching fire and releasing a large amount of CO2.2
The atmosphere is being replenished with elements that have been stored for thousands of years. This is a crucial threshold that cannot be reversed. Therefore, protecting the Amazon rainforest is a key goal in the fight against the climate emergency.
“We have gathered the governing bodies in charge of the Amazon rainforest, in Leticia, Colombia and Belém do Pará, Brazil – President Lula has been in attendance at all of these occasions. Brazil must undergo a change in its way of thinking.”
Colombia has a better understanding of the significance of the jungle compared to other places. However, there are harmful influences such as illegal mining and money laundering related to drug trade that contribute to the destruction of the jungle.
In Brazil, there has been a longstanding push to convert the Amazon rainforest into large agricultural plantations and estates. Unfortunately, this has resulted in the death of numerous indigenous and environmental leaders who have fought against this destructive practice.
He stated that it is challenging to suggest preserving the Amazon rainforest without using it for commercial purposes in Brazil due to political reasons. This is why someone like Bolsonaro was able to become a leader.
Find more age of extinction coverage here, and follow biodiversity reporters Phoebe Weston and Patrick Greenfield on X for all the latest news and features
Source: theguardian.com
