Future Fridays... You Broke It? You Pay for It?

Nicaragua is one of the nations most affected by climate change and yet has a low carbon footprint.  While several industrialized countries like the United States of America still have over 15 tons of carbon (CO₂) per capita¹, Nicaragua has only 0.63 tons of carbon per capita… putting Nicaragua low in the ranking of polluters in the world.

Last year the United States and China produced over 40% of the world’s CO2 emissions   The top 15 countries in CO2 emissions produced 72.2% of the total global emission, while the REST of the world only produced 27.7% … with Nicaragua producing 0.03% of all global emissions.  These are current statistics.

Historically, while wealthier countries were using carbon, belching pollution into the atmosphere as they industrialized, countries like Nicaragua were being colonized by them.  Nations like Nicaragua were losing their natural resources to the industrialized countries.  They were having their people killed in wars as well as from imported diseases and slavery.  Nations like Nicaragua were not allowed to choose their own destiny.

As Dr. Paul Oquist Kelly² asked in his speech to the 2019 UN Climate Change Conference, COP25, in November 2019, why should countries like Nicaragua bear the brunt of climate change and the polluters not pay indemnities to Nicaragua and others for the damage they have done to the world and to nations such as Nicaragua?

For those of us who come from the wealthier and more industrialized nations like the United States, this may seem like a fanciful notion.  But when we live nearby an industry that pollutes the water, air, and causes unspeakable damage, we think nothing of insisting that that industry pay for the pain, suffering, death and damages in order for those of us who have suffered to be able to change things and make a better life.

There is a disconnect when it comes national borders.   We understand fully the concept of our neighbor or community business paying for damages but with regard to countries… it seems unthinkable.

Nicaragua is a small country with few people compared to my home country of the United States, but it has endured being stepped on, plodded through, manipulated, and polluted by my homeland.  Nicaragua was the 6th most affected nation from climate change from 1998-2017³. Why shouldn’t those who cause the damage pay for the damage?  This was PART of the Paris Climate Treaty that the U.S.A. abandoned… one reason Pres. Trump did not want to pay for damages.

For a person who has brought suit after suit against so many people and businesses, one would think Pres. Trump would understand paying for damages pretty well.

-Kathleen

¹ https://ourworldindata.org/co2-and-other-greenhouse-gas-emissions
² Dr. Paul Oquist Kelley Minister-Private Secretary for National Policies Presidency of the Republic of Nicaragua
³ https://germanwatch.org/files/Global%20Climate%20Risk%20Index%202019_2.pdf

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