Recently, the 27 th UNFCCC COP27 was convened in Egypt amid the growing interests of the international community.

The meeting was an important event which awoke the world to the urgency to cope with global warming with practical measures, which severely threatens the existence and development of mankind.

What drew special attention was that the developing countries demonstrated clearly their commitment to no longer tolerate the hypocritical and double–dealing actions of the U.S. and the Western countries which is the main obstacle to solving climate change.

Presidents of Kenya, Central Africa and Zimbabwe stated in their speech that the U.S. and the Western countries are the very ones who brought about global warming through massive utilization of coal, crude oil and other fossil fuels during the last few hundred years. They sharply criticized the U.S. and the West for making an issue of African countries’ development and usage of fossil fuel, which only take up 4% of global CO2 emission, instead of taking due responsibility for causing today’s serious climate change.

Particularly, the President of Senegal who is currently holding the post of African Union Chairperson clarified a firm and principled stand that Africa will support the efforts to decrease emission of greenhouse gases but it will, under no circumstances, tolerate its fundamental interests being ignored.

Presidents of South Africa, Mozambique, Djibouti and other regional countries also raised voices against the misdeed of the U.S. and the West which only make empty words that they will give financial support to African countries to help them develop alternative energy while pursuing the economic subjugation of Africa in practice.

This clearly shows that hypocrisy and deception of the U.S. and the West will no longer work, which for decades have only pursued their dominationist goals and interests under the specious signboard of prevention of global warming, taking no account for interests of developing countries.

The fact that the financial compensation for loss and damage by climate change is put as a formal agenda stands as a significant fruition of common efforts and struggle of developing countries to establish a fair international order.

A doctor of Bonn University commented that developing countries are trying to emerge as an active subject of change rather than the passive victims of climate change.

Such international trend shows the commitment of developing countries to defend their right to independent existence and development against high-handedness and arbitrariness of the U.S. and the West.

All countries aspiring to independence and justice should reject double-standard and injustice of the imperialists and dominationists and actively struggle for ensuring fair solution of international issues including climate change. Only then the Earth will be a peaceful and stable haven of life for all humankind.

Ri Song Il

Member of Korea-Africa Association