Two Paths, One Paris Agreement: Global South Development and Diplomacy in a Changing Climate

Climate action, development, and technology have grown intertwined in the international struggle against climate change. When the Paris Agreement was developed in 2015, it bridged these commitments together and encouraged the international community to collaborate in reducing global temperatures. Historically, international agreements have excluded Global South countries from benefits when it was implemented. Is the Paris Agreement the same? How effective has the Paris Agreement been in fostering the international community to support Global South countries in their economic, technological, and sustainable development? By assessing the cases of Bhutan and Kenya, the answer to this question appears to be complex. Economic factors like GDP and GNI, show promising results that these countries are experiencing growth. The Human Capital Index shows that human development is also steadily rising. Climate progress measures of carbon emissions also show promising progress where Bhutan remains near zero and Kenya has significantly decreased their emissions. However, qualitative data assessing public sentiment, historical context, and bilateral contracts convey a less optimistic reality. Bhutan’s hydroelectric power and Kenya’s direct air capture technology show that the Paris Agreement currently lacks the right measures of success, incentives, regulations, and safeguards to completely protect Global South countries from exploitative relationships disguised as profitable deals. My findings indicate that the international community, including Global South countries, is better off with the Paris Agreement. But, the agreement has to make improvements to ensure Global South countries are not excluded nor taken advantage of by more powerful countries while they strive to sustainably develop.