Copping Out?

Bill McGuire (Emeritus Professor at University College London) says the 'takeaway message' from Cop27, is that these climate conferences just aren't working (https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/nov/20/big-takeaway-cop27-climate-conferences-arent-working). It has taken 27 gatherings, often in locations only reachable for most, by 'greenhouse gas'-spewing airtravel, for that to become self-evident. As McGuire points out, not one of the Cop meetings has resulted in a clear mandate for actually reducing 'greenhouse gas' emissions. What they have actually done, is to provide numerous politicians with photo opportunities. McGuire also notes that Cop27 had circa 6000 'delegates' from petrochemical interests. These annual jamborees thus enable these 'delegates' to twist the arms of world leaders to favour coal, oil, gas interests (e.g. about the urgent 'need' to exploit gas reserves in the Congo Basin or classifying natural gas as 'green'). McGuire proposes replacing Cops with smaller permanent bodies, looking at specific issues, such as deforestation. He opines that these must be appropriately representive and the 'teams' might occassionally come together. This is not a bad idea but perhaps we should go further? At the moment, companies and countries, who greatly add to global heating, largely get a free pass. We may need a body to strongly advocate sanctions for such folk. Simple 'naming and shaming' is likely to be insufficient. Proper financial penalties are needed.