The debate about compensating the Global South for loss and damage relating to climate change at the COP27 climate summit sparked a debate at the China Global South Project. This column is in response to Eric’s take yesterday.

The international order runs on certain assumptions. One is that even if the global system is rarely fair, it is in a constant process of reform, that its long arc is towards development, human rights and fairness. That is the underlying logic that allows both the United States to present itself as a norm-setter and democracy-promoter, rather than as a harsh hegemon, and China to rally the Global South behind development/global reform/BRI – anything more than a simple “we’re rich and you’re not, so shut up.”