The West’s insistence on completely phasing out fossil fuels at the recently concluded COP30 summit exposes their hypocrisy on climate change.

This demand ended up creating a major controversy among the countries of the Global South, who firmly opposed it. Among these countries, India, China, and Brazil firmly opposed the demand. Finally, with the backing of over 80 countries, the outcome document promised to provide a roadmap for ensuring a just and timely transition away from fossil fuel-based energy sources.

While the controversy has abated, it is worth pondering the climate hypocrisy of the West.

Historical Origins 

While the phenomenon of climate change occurs both naturally and artificially, it is necessary to bear in mind that the anthropogenic influences that have contributed to the abnormal changes in the climate of Mother Earth essentially began in the West, particularly Europe. Going back in history, the 16th to 18th centuries can be held as the initiation era of climate change. The issue of global warming and climate change first began in the realm of ideas.

The Renaissance in Europe contributed to the decline in the overarching hold of religion as the sole organizing principle of an individual’s life and gave rise to the spirit of humanism. This spirit laid the foundation of Enlightenment. While the Enlightenment stood for the inculcation of the values of rationalism, humanism, and scientific inquiry, it unfortunately set in motion another idea—anthropocentrism.

This idea asserts that humans constitute the core of the universe and in order to develop them........

© New Eastern Outlook