To end climate apartheid, my grandfather Nelson Mandela would want Cop28 to succeed
On the 10th anniversary of Nelson Mandela’s death, Ndileka Mandela explains how her grandfather’s struggle continues today in the fight for climate justice
In the spirit of my revered grandfather, Nelson Mandela, I wish to express my deep concerns about the ongoing crisis of “climate apartheid”. This term, introduced by the United Nations four years ago, serves as a stark reminder that – much like the apartheid my grandfather valiantly fought against – we are now faced with a global struggle where the poorest (often people of colour) in the global south bear the brunt of climate change while contributing the least to its causes.
As we approach the 10th anniversary of Madiba’s passing on 5 December, I am reminded that his battle against apartheid in South Africa was a fight against a system of racial and economic segregation. This struggle has now morphed into a global one, where the divide is between those who suffer the most from climate change and those who benefit from the economic structures causing it. The parallel is painfully clear: in apartheid South Africa, power and wealth were in the hands of a few, and today, the major polluters, primarily in the global north, continue to prosper at the expense of those in the global south.
Cop28, hosted by the UAE, is a crucial moment for global leaders to address these disparities. While scepticism abounds, particularly with the UAE being an oil-producing nation, it is imperative to approach this summit with a balanced perspective. The focus should not only be on the host nation but also on other even bigger contributors to fossil fuel expansion like the United States, Canada, Russia, Iran, China and Brazil.