|
Listen to article
|
Corruption poses a major threat to global efforts to combat climate change, with the potential to undermine critical policies and agreements, Transparency International warned in a report released on Tuesday. The anti-graft watchdog cautioned that without stronger accountability measures, dishonest practices could derail international cooperation and weaken climate action.
Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index for 2024 revealed a troubling trend: many countries actively engaged in climate action—either as hosts of United Nations climate summits or as those most vulnerable to climate change—have shown declining scores or consistently poor ratings, raising concerns about accountability in global climate efforts.
“Corrupt forces not only shape but often dictate policies and dismantle checks and balances,” Transparency International CEO Maira Martini said in a statement.
“We must urgently root out corruption before it derails meaningful climate action.”
The misappropriation of climate funds due to corruption could significantly weaken global warming mitigation efforts, Transparency International cautioned. The watchdog’s annual index evaluates nations based on their perceived levels of public sector corruption, with lower scores reflecting a greater risk of misgovernance.
The upcoming host of the UN COP30 climate conference, Brazil, saw its Corruption Perceptions Index rating drop to an all-time low of 34. Azerbaijan, which organized the previous summit despite its deep ties to the oil industry, scored only 22.
Read also: Climate Change: Mbah Unveils Vision For Green Future In Enugu
Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates, which appointed the head of the state oil firm to chair the COP it hosted in 2023, had a relatively better score of 68. The report also highlighted declining scores in wealthier countries, which have often taken a leading role in talks, including Canada (75), New Zealand (83) and the United States (65).
Corruption in these countries “undermines global progress the most,” the report said.
“These nations hold the greatest responsibility to lead on ambitious climate goals, reduce emissions at scale, and build resilience worldwide,” it said.
Among the countries most exposed to climate change were also some of those with the worst scores on the index, such as South Sudan (eight), Somalia (nine), and Venezuela (10).
“Marginalised people usually have fewer options for adapting to extreme weather and pollution, leaving them most in need of government support,” the report said.
