Wednesday, 23 October 2024

COProphagy?

Coprophagy is the scientific term for the consumption of faeces. This activity may have parallels with United Nations (UN) location choices for its Conference of the Parties (COP) meetings. For example, COPs 28 and 29 both focus on climate change. The former was in Dubai (United Arab Emirates). Although it ended up calling for an eventual phasing out of oil and gas, it also provided ample opportunities for producers to lobby for substantial delays (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/dec/11/cop28-draft-agreement-calls-for-fossil-fuel-cuts-but-avoids-phase-out). The subsequent planned COP29 will be held in Baku (Azerbaijan), just at the time that country is set for a major expansion of its fossil gas extraction (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/oct/23/cop29-host-azerbaijan-set-for-major-fossil-gas-expansion-report-says). COP16 in Cali (Colombia) will focus on protecting biodiversity. It's scheduled for a location where a local 'warlord' is intent on deforesting sections of the Amazon rainforest (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/oct/22/colombian-emc-warlord-amazon-forest-deforestation-colombia-ivan-mordisco-logging-ban-cop16-biodiversity). The UN does seem to have an incurable habit of selecting some very dodgy locations for its COP 'roundabout' of expensive (and polluting) meetings.

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