It’s time to decolonise our multilateral system for climate justice
With Priya Lukka, Esther Stanford-Xosei and Bhumika Muchhala
The power imbalance at the root of COP26’s failures could be seen in the mundane practicalities of attending the conference itself. Many delegates from the countries most vulnerable to the climate crisis were not even present at the conference. Small island states stressed that without vaccination, their delegations could not attend. Whilst those on the frontlines of the crisis were excluded, at least 503 fossil fuel lobbyists for some of the world's biggest polluting oil and gas giants were granted access to the negotiations.