COP Out?

A leak of more than 32,000 'comments', reveals that governments have been vigorously lobbying for changes to drafts of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report prepared for Cop26 in Glasgow (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/oct/21/oil-and-coal-rich-countries-lobbying-to-weaken-un-climate-report-leak-shows). Predictably, fossil fuel producers (such as Australia, Russia and Saudi Arabia) have been pushing for a weakening of sections dealing with the crucial role of hydrocarbons in global heating. Countries dependent on coal-fired electricity generation (e.g. China and India), are resisting calls to phase out coal. Major producers of meat (e.g. Argentina and Brazil) object to any mentions of a need for humans to alter their diets. Some rich polluters don't see why they should financially help poorer nations to 'go green'. We have been assured that the scientists won't change their report in response to such pressures. It's not, however, the scientists who will be doing the 'horse-trading' in Glasgow. The 'world leaders' who happen to be there or their delegations, will call the shots. They are not exactly the most trustworthy collective! Cop26 will also have to deal with the 'boosterism' of the UK's PM. Most experts think there will have to be considerable changes in public behaviour, if we are to substantially cut carbon dioxide emissions. Experts advocate, for example, levies on high carbon foods and a reduction in frequent flying. In contrast, the PM (who appears to like people to join him in his imaginary 'happy place'), says that net zero can happen without sacrificing the things we love (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/oct/20/meat-tax-and-frequent-flyer-levy-advice-dropped-from-uk-net-zero-strategy). Mr Johnson claims that the UK strategy 'shows how we can build back greener, without so much as a hair shirt in sight'. He reckons, by 2050, we will all be driving non-polluting cars; flitting around in silent, energy efficient aircraft and heating our homes with 'free' energy from the seas. The current PM is hardly likely to be held to account, if none of this technology materialises on the appropriate scale.