English Learning: Global South and Climate Diplomacy

Dialogue

Current Situation

The terms “Global South” and “Global North” are often used in discussions about climate change to refer to countries with different historical contributions to greenhouse gas emissions and varying levels of vulnerability to climate impacts. The Global North generally refers to developed countries (like those in North America, Europe, Australia, etc.) which industrialized earlier and have historically emitted the most greenhouse gases. The Global South typically refers to developing and least developed countries (many in Africa, Latin America, and parts of Asia) that have contributed less to historical emissions but are often most exposed and vulnerable to the effects of climate change.

Climate diplomacy involves international negotiations and agreements aimed at addressing climate change. A key aspect of this is the principle of “common but differentiated responsibilities” (CBDR), which acknowledges that all countries share a common responsibility to address climate change but have different capabilities and historical roles in causing the problem. This leads to complex discussions around issues like climate finance (financial support from developed to developing countries for climate action), loss and damage (funding for irreversible impacts of climate change), technology transfer (sharing green technologies), and the role of renewable energy in helping emerging economies develop sustainably without relying on fossil fuels.

The current situation is marked by ongoing negotiations, often characterized by a push from the Global South for greater accountability and support from the Global North, while the Global North often emphasizes shared future responsibilities and the need for all countries to act. Despite the challenges, there’s a growing recognition of the urgency and increasing collaborative efforts towards a more equitable and sustainable future.

Key Phrases

• Global South: A term referring to developing or newly industrialized countries, often located in the Southern Hemisphere, which tend to be more vulnerable to climate change impacts despite contributing less to historical emissions.

  Many countries in the Global South are pushing for greater climate finance to adapt to rising sea levels.

• Climate Diplomacy: The process of international negotiations and foreign policy efforts focused on addressing climate change.

  Effective climate diplomacy is crucial for reaching global agreements on emission reduction targets.

• Historical Responsibility: The idea that countries that have contributed the most to greenhouse gas emissions since the Industrial Revolution bear a greater burden for addressing climate change.

  Discussions about historical responsibility often cause tension at international climate summits.

• Climate Finance: Financial resources provided by developed countries to developing countries to help them mitigate and adapt to climate change.

  There’s an ongoing debate about the adequacy of current climate finance commitments.

• Loss and Damage: Refers to the unavoidable and irreversible impacts of climate change that go beyond what adaptation measures can cope with, requiring financial compensation.

  The new Loss and Damage fund aims to support nations severely affected by extreme weather events.

• Common but Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR): A principle in international environmental law acknowledging that all states have a shared obligation to protect the environment, but that their specific responsibilities vary based on their economic and historical contributions to environmental degradation.

  The principle of common but differentiated responsibilities guides many climate negotiations.

• Renewable Energy: Energy derived from natural processes that are replenished constantly, such as solar, wind, hydro, and geothermal power.

  Investing in renewable energy sources is vital for transitioning to a low-carbon economy.

• Vulnerable Nations: Countries or regions that are particularly susceptible to the negative impacts of climate change due to their geography, economy, or limited resources.

  Small island states are among the most vulnerable nations to sea-level rise.

• Emerging Economies: Developing countries that are experiencing rapid economic growth and industrialization.

  Many emerging economies are now key players in global climate discussions.

• Technology Transfer: The process of sharing expertise, knowledge, and equipment for climate-friendly technologies from developed to developing countries.

  Effective technology transfer can accelerate the adoption of sustainable practices worldwide.

Grammar Points

1. Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal verbs are combinations of a verb and a preposition or adverb (or both) that create a new meaning, often idiomatic. They are very common in spoken English.

• short-circuited: (Alice) – literally means an electrical malfunction; idiomatically means your brain stopped working or got overwhelmed.

  My brain short-circuited after trying to solve that complex math problem.

• pay up: (Bob) – to pay money that is owed, often forcefully or with a sense of obligation.

  It’s time for the landlord to fix the roof; we always pay up on time.

• point fingers: (Alice) – to accuse someone or assign blame.

  Instead of pointing fingers, let’s work together to find a solution.

• clean up: (Bob) – to make something clean and tidy; metaphorically, to fix a problem or rectify a situation.

  After the party, everyone helped clean up the mess. / Governments need to clean up industrial pollution.

2. Reporting Verbs and Indirect Speech

Reporting verbs are used to tell us what someone else said or asked, without quoting them directly. When we use indirect speech (also called reported speech), we often change the tense of the original statement and remove quotation marks.

• In the dialogue:

  Alice: “They’re basically saying, ‘Hey, we didn’t cause most of this mess, but we’re getting the biggest splash…’”

  Bob: “Mine too! It’s basically saying, ‘We all need to clean up, but some of us made a bigger mess and have better mops.’”

• Common reporting verbs: say, tell, ask, explain, state, suggest, argue, claim.
• When reporting a present simple statement, the reported clause often uses the past simple: “He said he liked coffee.” (Original: “I like coffee.”)
• When reporting a present continuous statement, the reported clause often uses the past continuous: “She told me she was working.” (Original: “I am working.”)

3. Similes and Metaphors (Figurative Language)

These are literary devices that add vividness and humor by comparing two unlike things. They make language more expressive and memorable.

• Simile: A comparison between two different things using “like” or “as.”

  Example from dialogue: “It’s like trying to get your roommate to pay for the broken window…”

  Example from dialogue: “It’s like skipping the flip phone and going straight to a smartphone.”

  Her smile was as bright as the sun.

• Metaphor: A direct comparison stating that one thing *is* another, without “like” or “as.”

  Example from dialogue: “your coal factory is haunting our present-day emissions report!” (The factory isn’t literally haunting, but its legacy is a problem).

  Example from dialogue: “the diplomatic dance is complicated” (Diplomacy isn’t literally a dance, but it involves intricate steps and partners).

  The world is a stage.

Practice Exercises

Exercise 1: Vocabulary Matching

Match the key phrase with its correct definition.

1. Global South
   A. Financial aid from developed to developing nations for climate action.
2. Climate Finance
   B. Countries less industrialized, often highly vulnerable to climate change.
3. Loss and Damage
   C. Negotiations between countries to address climate change.
4. Climate Diplomacy
   D. Unavoidable, irreversible impacts of climate change requiring compensation.

Exercise 2: Fill in the Blanks

Complete the sentences using the appropriate key phrases from the list below. (Some phrases may be used more than once or not at all).

(Global South, renewable energy, historical responsibility, common but differentiated responsibilities, technology transfer, vulnerable nations)

1. Many island countries are considered __________ due to rising sea levels.
2. The principle of __________ acknowledges that all countries must act on climate change, but at different scales.
3. The debate over __________ focuses on who should pay for past emissions.
4. Investing in __________ like solar and wind power is crucial for a sustainable future.
5. Developed nations often promise __________ to help developing countries adopt greener technologies.

Exercise 3: Grammar Practice – Phrasal Verbs & Similes

A. Replace the underlined phrase with a suitable phrasal verb from the dialogue: short-circuited, pay up, point fingers, clean up.

1. My computer’s brain stopped working when I tried to run too many programs at once.
2. Instead of always blaming others, we should take responsibility.

B. Identify whether the following sentence contains a Simile (S) or a Metaphor (M).

3. The new policy proposal was a minefield of potential disagreements.
4. The meeting went as smoothly as a freshly polished table.

Exercise 4: Open Question

In your own words, briefly explain why the Global South often feels it’s unfairly burdened by climate change. (Answer in 2-3 sentences)