The global climate crisis has underscored the urgent need for collective action,
yet it has also revealed profound inequalities in responsibility, vulnerability, and
capacity. In the post-COP era—marked by renewed international commitments
and contested frameworks—the demand for climate justice has become
increasingly central to the discourse of sustainable development, especially in
the Global South. This study examines how climate justice perspectives
challenge traditional development paradigms and calls for a reconfiguration of
priorities in countries disproportionately affected by climate change.
Using a multidisciplinary lens, the research draws on policy documents,
climate finance data, and case studies from countries including India, Kenya,
and Brazil. Through both quantitative and qualitative analyses, the paper
investigates the interplay between climate justice, equity-based emissions
accountability, adaptation financing, and indigenous rights. It explores how
post-COP declarations (especially from COP26 and COP27) have influenced
development planning in the Global South.
Two tables are presented: (1) Comparative climate finance flows to
selected Global South countries and (2) Relationship between national
vulnerability and adaptation investment. Findings reveal that despite rhetoric on
equity, climate finance remains inadequate and inequitably distributed.
Moreover, development priorities in the Global South continue to be shaped by
economic growth imperatives, often at odds with ecological sustainability. This paper argues for a new framework—―Justice-Centric Development‖—that
foregrounds historical responsibility, participatory governance, and grassroots
resilience. It concludes by offering policy recommendations for aligning climate
justice with national planning, including inclusive transition policies, capacity
building, and South-South cooperation.