Transparency International’s 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index reveals that corruption hampers global cooperation on climate action. With alarming corruption levels worldwide, many crucial nations for climate diplomacy have seen declines in their scores. The report emphasizes the urgent need for action against corruption to ensure effective climate initiatives and protect vital climate finance for vulnerable countries.
Transparency International warns that corruption poses a significant threat to global cooperation in combating climate change. Their recently released Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) for 2024 indicates that many nations key to climate diplomacy have seen their corruption scores decline. This stagnation and decline undermine efforts to create effective climate policies and initiatives, which are essential in the face of escalating climate-related challenges.
The CPI highlights alarmingly high levels of global corruption, with over two-thirds of the 180 assessed countries scoring below 50 out of 100 and the global average remaining at 43. Despite some countries showing progress against corruption since 2012, 148 nations have either stagnated or regressed. This situation underscores the pressing necessity for constructive measures to combat corruption effectively.
The report details the detrimental impact of corruption on climate initiatives, noting that it exacerbates the climate crisis amidst record heat and extreme weather events. Vulnerable nations and key hosts of international climate conferences are particularly affected, with Brazil, hosting this year’s UN COP30, recording its lowest-ever score of 34. The United States, a leading nation in climate diplomacy, scored 65.
Further concerns were raised regarding the potential loss of substantial climate finance, which is crucial for countries like South Africa, Vietnam, and Indonesia that need such resources for essential climate initiatives. The countries most affected by climate change, such as South Sudan, Somalia, and Venezuela, are among those with the lowest CPI scores.
Maira Martini, CEO of Transparency International, emphasized the urgent need to eliminate corruption, stating, “Corrupt forces not only shape but often dictate policies and dismantle checks and balances.” The organization advocates for enhanced metrics and frameworks to promote climate transparency and accountability while also suggesting that strengthening anti-corruption bodies could mitigate environmental crimes.
The CPI, which ranks countries based on public sector corruption levels, uses independent data sources to arrive at its scores, where zero indicates a highly corrupt state and 100 represents a very clean one.
Corruption significantly impairs global efforts to address climate change. Transparency International’s report underscores the urgent need for action to root out corruption, particularly in nations most vulnerable to climate impacts. Enhancing transparency and accountability in climate finance and strengthening anti-corruption measures are critical steps toward achieving meaningful climate action.
Original Source: www.aljazeera.com
