Najam Discusses COP27 Loss and Damage Fund in “CBC” Interview
Adil Najam, Dean Emeritus and Professor of International Relations and Earth and Environment at Boston University’s Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies, appeared on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) show “What on Earth with Laura Lynch” in which he discusses the “Age of Adaptation” and the loss and damage fund for vulnerable countries harmed by climate change established at COP27.
While the call for such a fund for vulnerable countries has been active for years, Najam claims that it took shape at COP27 because of this year’s vast number of dangerous extreme weather events and their impacts that could no longer be ignored. Looking forward, Najam noted that the fund does not have any money to back it following the global climate summit; the only operations clause agreed upon at COP27 is to form a transitional committee that will look into what a fund might look like, who would contribute, how they would contribute, and what the funds will be spent one. In an ideal world, Najam says that the loss and damage fund would be structured so that those countries whose emissions are high pay for the damages done to those whose emissions are low. However, he notes that the fund will likely be funded by voluntary contributions coming not out of a responsibility to address damages done but out of a humanitarian desire to help those in need.
The full episode can be listened to on CBC‘s website. Najam’s remarks begin around 26:30.
Adil Najam is a global public policy expert who served as the Inaugural Dean of the Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies at Boston University and was the former Vice-Chancellor of the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS). His research focuses on issues of global public policy, especially those related to global climate change, South Asia, Muslim countries, environment and development, and human development. Read more about Professor Najam on his faculty profile.