Once again a climate COP has finished. Once again it finished in failure. This COP is worse than a failure - it is a betrayal.
It
betrays the hopes of those who thought that its decisions would match
the severity of the crisis. For this is the year in which the global
temperature first exceeded the Paris climate target - 1.5 Celsius. That
is just a fact. And it is nearly certain that most years will exceed the
target in the coming decade.
And
it betrays those whose lives, livelihoods and communities have already
been damaged by the climate emergency - the inhabitants of low-lying
islands, parched semi-deserts and flood ravaged valleys.
Worst
of all it betrays our shared future. For we could have a world in which
clean green energy makes us more secure and protects us against
petrostate tyrants. A world in which natural energy and sound
construction give us warm, comfortable homes. A world in which our lungs
are safe from air pollution and our cities are not clogged with diesel
and petrol cars.
Instead
the fossil fuel lobbyists and petrostate politicians - the salesmen of
human death and global collapse - will continue digging coal and pumping
oil. To bribe governments and mislead publics. To make obscene profits
from the worst thing that anyone could do - the destruction of our
shared natural world and thus of our human future.
Once again global leaders have seen what's needed and resolved not to do it. Following Schiller we might say that "against stupidity even the gods contend in vain” However, world leaders are not too stupid to know the results of their actions. They are too cowardly to confront the vested interests. If there is a remedy for this its well above my pay grade.
