Climate Crisis: Are we doing enough?

[stowie]

Cop28 president says there is ‘no science’ behind demands for phase-out of fossil fuels​

So.... Sultan Al Jaber who is COP28 president, and co-incidentally CEO of the UAE state oil company, has been angrily denying that phasing out fossil fuels will help reach climate change targets - so the industry which has made him and his country very wealthy can carry on. In other surprising news, it has been found that the Pope is indeed a Catholic and a bear has been caught pooping in the woods.

Whilst the King and PM flying in separate private jets to the conference provides a cheap laugh about the hypocrisy (I suspect this is done on security advice - also possibly because both wouldn't tolerate each other for an entire plane journey), the actual fact is that COP is now being hosted by an oil company CEO who is dancing along the climate-change denial line. COP, at the beginning was safely ignored by the fossil fuel giants since it was a collection of some heads of state, some worried scientists and environmentalists. Then it got serious, so they started lobbying and now they have taken over.

 

[albion]

And it shows the extremely stark reality behind billionaire owned football teams and the governing organisations.
Everyone involved is thus renumerated enough to ensure extincture is guaranteed.

And this is what Qatar was about.

 

[stowie]

We shouldn't worry, Musk will sort it all out

Musk added that he himself arguably had done more for the environment, at Tesla, than anyone in the world, based on Tesla's massive sales of electric vehicles.

"It would be fair to say, therefore, as a leader of the company, I've done more for the environment than everyone -- any single human on Earth."

 

[theclaud]

We shouldn't worry, Musk will sort it all out

 

[mudsticks]

Cop28 president says there is ‘no science’ behind demands for phase-out of fossil fuels​

So.... Sultan Al Jaber who is COP28 president, and co-incidentally CEO of the UAE state oil company, has been angrily denying that phasing out fossil fuels will help reach climate change targets - so the industry which has made him and his country very wealthy can carry on. In other surprising news, it has been found that the Pope is indeed a Catholic and a bear has been caught pooping in the woods.

Whilst the King and PM flying in separate private jets to the conference provides a cheap laugh about the hypocrisy (I suspect this is done on security advice - also possibly because both wouldn't tolerate each other for an entire plane journey), the actual fact is that COP is now being hosted by an oil company CEO who is dancing along the climate-change denial line. COP, at the beginning was safely ignored by the fossil fuel giants since it was a collection of some heads of state, some worried scientists and environmentalists. Then it got serious, so they started lobbying and now they have taken over.

And this is why so many (actually bothered) groups debate with and amongst themselves about the validity of attending the CoP at all.

On the one hand we see it now as (largely) a greenwashing exercise where promises (even if made) are routinely broken.

On the other hand it is where a lot of power is held, and some pressure can be applied, incremental changes wrought.

(In addition to solidarity building, and networking between grassroots and civil society groups)

A representation from a climate change affected country, or sector, is much much easier to ignore if they're on zoom rather than in the room.

If we don't turn up, we have very little influence - although much of the 'dealing' is already done beforehand.
And absolutely no one reports that x y or z organisations didn't attend because of their stance on corporate fossil fuel greed, the host country itself, and the nonsense of offsetting for example.

But if we do go, and try to influence and have our say. Often at great personal expense of time and capital - Including the struggle for passes and visas for those from the global south etc.

''Oh its just a big old carbon fuelled 'jamboree' "

So basically damned if we do, damned if we don't..

 

[mudsticks]

Nature based solution..

Mudflats 🤎🤎🤎

They're reflooding the lower reaches of our river valley, letting the sea back in which will create great habitat for birds as well as enhancing landscape.

Whilst also sequestering up to 20 tonnes of carbon per hectare per year 💙
Because of the way vegetation behaves in these conditions the carbon stays in that mud so long as it's not drained or disturbed..

Seagrass is reckoned to be similarly effective.

 

[albion]

https://amp.theguardian.com/world/2023/dec/04/air-pollution-is-dirty-secret-in-uae-says-rights-group

Copout 28 is becoming quite a lobbyfest.

 

[albion]

A positive here that even hard Tories are concerned about the survival of their offspring.
https://amp.theguardian.com/politic...-more-receptive-to-his-ideas-than-rishi-sunak

'“It won’t affect me because I’ll be long dead and buried,” he said. “[But] I am very worried about the future. The environmental apocalypse is coming and it’s coming very, very rapidly.”'

 

[matticus]

I've said all this loads of times! The colleagues at work,

I don't give a fock about your colleagues - I do not know them, and they may well be massive tools anyway. 🤷‍♀️

the tens of thousands who go to the annual party each year to discuss the need to reduce fossil fuel usage - remember Copenhagen where private jets were used aplenty to get celebrities there and said jets had to be flown to other countries for the duration because of lack of space to park them.

OK, so you we agree that there are virtue-signalling millionaire celebs hitching upto this wagon. Well spotted brother!
(do you think that changes the science?)

I'll add a new one. The Green minister of the Environment in a Green led govt in Baden-Württemberg was caught doing 177 kmh in a 123 kmh limit. Cars guzzle fuel at that speed. When I heard this I wondered if there is anyone who shouts their mouth off about the need to reduce fuel usage who actually does so.

So basically you've provided more evidence that many senior politicians are tw@ts. So you'll be supporting such comments on these pages, yes?


Meanwhile, clearly there aren't "tens of thousands" arriving by private jets. Because just as in society, not everyone is the same. Surprise!

For a view from the rank-n-file, please read Mudstick's post below. And please provide some rational reaction to it. Thanks.

And this is why so many (actually bothered) groups debate with and amongst themselves about the validity of attending the CoP at all.
<snip...>

If we don't turn up, we have very little influence - although much of the 'dealing' is already done beforehand.
And absolutely no one reports that x y or z organisations didn't attend because of their stance on corporate fossil fuel greed, the host country itself, and the nonsense of offsetting for example.

But if we do go, and try to influence and have our say. Often at great personal expense of time and capital - Including the struggle for passes and visas for those from the global south etc.

''Oh its just a big old carbon fuelled 'jamboree' "

So basically damned if we do, damned if we don't..

 

[icowden]

Imagine the energy needed to power a 2 tonne EV around hilly areas.
Swedens solution to help tackle that destructive waste is to create 30,000km of electrified roads.
https://www.euronews.com/next/2023/...-electrified-road-for-evs-to-charge-while-dri

Brilliant. I wonder when there will be come cars/vans/lorries that can actually use the technolog?

As for the energy needed, an amount of what you use on the uphill can be recouped on the downhill if regeneration is improved.

 

[albion]

https://www.theguardian.com/environ...ns-soar-with-china-us-and-india-most-at-fault

The US has to be the worst of the lot, by far. Despite being a technology leader their investment in both wind and probably solar is quite pitiful compared to what is needed. Not forgetting US having the disgustingly large cars that demand vast amounts of energy.

 

[BoldonLad]

Brilliant. I wonder when there will be come cars/vans/lorries that can actually use the technolog?

As for the energy needed, an amount of what you use on the uphill can be recouped on the downhill if regeneration is improved.

Surely, only some of what was used on the uphill?, unless we have invented perpetual motion, and I have missed it?

 

[icowden]

Surely, only some of what was used on the uphill?, unless we have invented perpetual motion, and I have missed it?

Yes "an amount of" is synonymous with "some" :-)

 

[BoldonLad]

Yes "an amount of" is synonymous with "some" :-)

All round economy, including on the words

 

[Bazzer]

https://www.theguardian.com/environ...ns-soar-with-china-us-and-india-most-at-fault

The US has to be the worst of the lot, by far. Despite being a technology leader their investment in both wind and probably solar is quite pitiful compared to what is needed. Not forgetting US having the disgustingly large cars that demand vast amounts of energy.

Whilst I am sure more could have been done, both Obama and Biden, in particular the latter, have put government money into alternative fuels/clean energy; unlike the Trump administration.