COP26: All talk or some real action on climate change?

[Banderill]

Pledges are one thing, but does anyone think COP26 will result in a real increase in countries efforts to reduce climate change?

Faster global switching from fossil fuels to renewables? Richer countries helping poorer countries to maintain and replant their forests and mangrove swamps to increase carbon sequestration? Political will to remove the oil industry stranglehold on developed economies? A real effort made to try and reach net zero emissions by 2050, rather than just paying it lip-service? The largest emitters brought to book and made to change?

What do you think will be the net result over the next 10 years?

 

[mudsticks]

I'm cautiously optimistic.
Because I have to be.
As a long time activist and campaigner on all this, we've seen a lot more talk , than necessary action.

But also some progress..

It's a shame the UK hasn't shown better leadership on all this. We're generally good at tech, innovation. and solution finding .

But right now we don't seem to have a government with enough backbone to resist the push back of the oil companies .

There are some signs of hope, and changes of mindset.
Not least in terms of how well informed , and willing to act, large chunks of the population now are.

We have the solutions, we know the science have the knowledge, and methodologies.

Now the challenge is to implement it all, and quickly enough..
Acting too late , is almost as bad as not acting at all.

A cleaner greener more equitable world could be within our grasp.

But the business as usual mob are still a massive impediment.

The pandemic has shown how possible it is to change our behaviour globally, if the incentive is strong enough.

Sadly this year's COP is even more unjust than previous ones , on account of those most affected by CC in the global south, are now largely being excluded by covid inequality, on top of everything else .

I'm going along as part of a civil society group to advocate on behalf of agroecological farming, and food justice.

It's key in tackling CC as an alternative to industrialised agriculture, both here , and globally .

We offer solutions in terms of sustainable farming techniques, biodiversity enhancement, regenerative, carbon capturing soil rebuilding, more employment, and local food resilience.

And lots more..

In addition to running our own events and workshops , we get a bit of time in the 'suits' space as well, so will be interesting to see what transpires there.

So a lot of farm prep to do, and other organising before heading off.

Will report back, if I survive the whole thing..

 

[BoldonLad]

I think some progress will be made, but, will it be enough? I have no idea.

One glaring omission (unless I have missed it), is Population Control, IMHO.

 

[mudsticks]

I think some progress will be made, but, will it be enough? I have no idea.

One glaring omission (unless I have missed it), is Population Control, IMHO.

That's a fairly 'easy' one to resolve.
Education and empowerment of women.

Free access to birth control

If that were to be 'allowed' and encouraged in certain cultures .

But the birth rate is falling anyhow.

Plus it's not the overall number of people , so much as their consumption.

Obv we in the west consume / pollute many times more than those in less industrialised and profligate nations.

 

[Pale Rider]

I think the Queen, as ever, nailed it.

 

[Bromptonaut]

One glaring omission (unless I have missed it), is Population Control, IMHO.

People repeatedly speak if this but how would it be achieved?

 

[Pale Rider]

People repeatedly speak if this but how would it be achieved?

It may not need to be.

Population growth is slowing overall, and is predicted to stop by the end of the century.

It's almost inevitable a decline will follow, leading some statisticians to assert that we are heading in the long term for extinction.

Apparently, once a trend is set, it's very hard to reverse it.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Population_decline

 

[FishFright]

I think some progress will be made, but, will it be enough? I have no idea.

One glaring omission (unless I have missed it), is Population Control, IMHO.

To be effective Population Control needs to apply to the West first and foremost as a single Western person consumes so much more of everything. So that's not going to happen anytime soon.

 

[cookiemonster]

I think there has to be progress or all bets are off as far as the climate is concerned.

 

[mudsticks]

To be effective Population Control needs to apply to the West first and foremost as a single Western person consumes so much more of everything. So that's not going to happen anytime soon.

But it already does.

The birthrate in many western countries is below replacement rate level.

To the point that those countries are now 'panicking a bit', about having enough younger workers going forwards.

Whilst simultaneously panicking about "too many immigrants"

 

[newfhouse]

Today is the first day of operation of London’s Ultra Low Emissions Zone extension. Listening to some of my colleagues bleating doesn’t make me optimistic about a greener future. And this is in London, where driving is generally the least pleasant and most expensive way for people to get to work.

 

[mudsticks]

Today is the first day of operation of London’s Ultra Low Emissions Zone extension. Listening to some of my colleagues bleating doesn’t make me optimistic about a greener future. And this is in London, where driving is generally the least pleasant and most expensive way for people to get to work.

Yeah but people 'bleated' about having to recycle, stopping smoking in pubs, unleaded petrol, smokeless zones, cyclepaths, traffic calming, banning CFS, certain pesticides, all sorts of stuff.

Then it became 'the new normal' and it seemed like a weird idea not to do those things.

There's always resistance to change from some quarters
Even if it's for a good reason.

 

[Bromptonaut]

Today is the first day of operation of London’s Ultra Low Emissions Zone extension. Listening to some of my colleagues bleating doesn’t make me optimistic about a greener future. And this is in London, where driving is generally the least pleasant and most expensive way for people to get to work.

Why, unless they own a pre 2015 diesel, are they bleating?

 

[newfhouse]

There's always resistance to change from some quarters

I hope that’s all it is, but when otherwise intelligent people say that they’re bored with all the current focus on climate change it gets a bit dispiriting. It’s mostly the same people that say they are bored with C19, somehow thinking that the effects of these things will decline if we stop paying attention.

 

[newfhouse]

Why, unless they own a pre 2015 diesel, are they bleating?

Three reasons, I think.

It’s part of a war against them. If ‘they’ can do this, what will be next?
Sadiq Khan is the devil incarnate.
And the smallest group, their old car will incur the charge.