Rich nations and climate debt: why developing countries are pushing for historical responsibility in the transition

An Express Tribune opinion piece argues that developed countries should pay for their historical emissions and fund a just transition in poorer nations. It points to Pakistan's 2022 floods as an example of rising climate costs and criticizes the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism as a trade protection tool rather than real climate finance. The author proposes a historical responsibility tax on companies from industrialized countries to finance the transition. The article is relevant for anyone tracking climate finance, carbon border adjustments, and equity in global climate policy. It raises open questions about how historical responsibility would be measured, who would collect the revenue, and whether such a tax could actually accelerate emissions reductions. These are the same unresolved issues that will shape upcoming COP negotiations.