PassageOneTheParisclimateagreementfinalisedinDecemberlastyearheraldedaneweraforclimateaction.Forthefirsttime,theworld'snationsagreedtokeepglobalwarmingwellbelow2℃.Thisisvitalforclimate-vulnerablenations.Fewerthan4%ofcountriesareresponsibleformorethanhalfoftheworld'sgreenhousegasemissions.InastudypublishedinNatureScientificReports,werevealjusthowdeepthisinjusticeruns.DevelopednationssuchasAustralia,theUnitedStates,Canada,andEuropeancountriesareessentiallyclimate"free-riders":causingthemajorityoftheproblemsthroughhighgreenhousegasemissions,whileincurringfewofthecostssuchasclimatechange'simpactonfoodandwater.Inotherwords,afewcountriesarebenefitingenormouslyfromtheconsumptionoffossilfuels,whileatthesametimecontributingdisproportionatelytotheglobalburdenofclimatechange.Ontheflipside,therearemany"forcedriders",whoaresufferingfromtheclimatechangeimpactsdespitehavingscarcelycontributedtotheproblem.Manyoftheworld'smostclimatevulnerablecountries,themajorityofwhichareAfricanorsmallislandstates,produceaverysmallquantityofemissions.Thisismuchlikeanon-smokergettingcancerfromsecond-handsmoke,whiletheheavysmokerisfortunateenoughtosmokeingoodhealth.TheParisagreementhasbeenwidelyhailedasapositivestepforwardinaddressingclimatechangeforall,althoughthedetailsonaddressing"climatejustice"canbebestdescribedassketchy.Thegoalofkeepingglobaltemperaturerise"wellbelow"2~Ciscommendablebuttheemissions-reductionpledgessubmittedbycountriesleadinguptotheParistalksareveryunlikelytodeliveronthis.Morethan$100billioninfundinghasbeenputonthetableforsupportingdevelopingnationstoreduceemissions.However,theagreementspecifiesthatthereisnoformaldistinctionbetweendevelopedanddevelopingnationsintheirresponsibilitytocutemissions,effectivelyignoringhistoricalemissions.Thereisalsoverylittledetailonwhowillprovidethefundsor,importantly,whoisresponsiblefortheirprovision.Securingthesefunds,andestablishingwhoisresponsibleforraisingthemwillalsobevitalforthefutureofclimate-vulnerablecountries.Themostclimate-vulnerablecountriesintheworldhavecontributedverylittletocreatingtheglobaldiseasefromwhichtheynowsufferthemost.Theremusturgentlybeameaningfulmobilisationofthepoliciesoutlinedintheagreementifwearetoachievenationalemissionsreductionswhilehelpingthemostvulnerablecountriesadapttoclimatechange.Anditisclearlyuptothecurrentgenerationofleadersfromhigh-emittingnationstodecidewhethertheywanttoberememberedasclimatechangetyrantsorpioneers.26.TheauthoriscriticaloftheParisclimateagreementbecause
A
it is unfair to those climate-vulnerable nations
B
it aims to keep temperature rise below 2℃ only
C
it is beneficial to only fewer than 4% of countries
D
it burdens developed countries with the sole responsibility
