Amitav Ghosh speaking during the Earth Talk Series at Bin Jelmood House yesterday. PIC: Ayeni Olusegun
Renowned Indian writer Amitav Ghosh has stressed that Qatar can influence and champion the voices of the global South in climate and environmental discussions on the world stage by leading as an example.
Ghosh disclosed this yesterday while speaking at an Earth Talk Series titled ‘Climate of War: Global Geopolitics in the Anthropocene’ organised by the Arab Youth Climate Movement –Qatar. The event was held at the Bin Jelmood House at Msheireb Downtown.
The Earth Talk series aims to bring thinkers, scientists, writers, and artists from mainly the global South, to talk about the environmental and climate crises from the global South’s perspectives.
Speaking on the sideline of the talk, Ghosh cited the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and its unique hosting, saying hosting such events in comparison to climate and environmental talks create new possibilities. The author of The Great Derangement said Qatar can leverage the current boom in construction and build energy-saving structures that align with the region’s climate.
“I think Qatar did a great job organising the whole thing (the FIFA World Cup). It produced an incredible event with perhaps the greatest soccer match ever played. It was riveting and great that it was happening in Asia. It showed that when such events are held in these parts of the world, it creates a completely different atmosphere. It creates new possibilities,” Ghosh said.
“In the same way, I think if the Qatari leadership were to approach these other issues (climate change) also with the idea of bringing a different point of view and opening up these global negotiations to voices from the global South, I think that would be an important thing that Qatar could do.”
“Similarly, I do think that Qatar can lead by example. I mean, just in the forms of architecture, for example. I think it’s ill-advised to promote a kind of architectural model this is not in the same temperate zone. I think certainly, in terms of architecture, urban planning, and so on, Qatar can lead by example,” he added.
Also adding to Ghosh’s take, Hessa Al Noaimi, Director of Strategic Partnerships at AYCMQ, noted that Qatar can and has been leading by example.
She emphasised the nation’s donation to the UN General Assembly to support smaller countries to mitigate the climate crisis and invest in new infrastructure and technology.
“This, I think, sets a precedent for a conversation in the General Assembly surrounding what we can do to support these countries rather than trying to tax or discipline them,” Hessa said.
“I think Qatar is in a fortunate position because it’s a small country with high potential, high resources in terms of GDP, economic, stability and social stability. This is an amazing place to trial, experiment and innovate, and I think the Qatari government is already doing this.”
Meanwhile, Ghosh, whose works revolve around migration, colonialism, political history and their relationship with environmental degradation, also disclosed that stakeholders constantly discuss climate issues but don’t see the bigger picture.
He said the current climate must include geopolitics, calling it a complex phenomenon beyond fossil fuels.
According to Ghosh, while it’s essential to make those changes to climate policies, we must understand the political history of this crisis from colonialism and geopolitics as it relates to the Anthropocene (the period in Earth’s history when the human activity started to have a significant impact on the planet’s climate and ecosystems).”
“Fossil fuels are central to any discussion of what’s happening today. But again, we have to be careful in thinking that alternative energies can solve the whole situation. We can only approach this by changing what we think of as a good life. There’s no way around it,” stressed Ghosh.
