What Did They Expect?

Cop27 has essentially resulted in no progress on the fundamental challenge of agreeing more rapid cuts to 'greenhouse gas' emissions. Keeping '1.5 alive' is not an option (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/nov/20/cop27-agrees-to-historic-loss-and-damage-fund-to-compensate-developing-countries-for-climate-impacts). Such a lack of progress is hardly remarkable, as many of the represented countries have vested interests in maintaining the extraction (and burning of 'their' coal, oil and gas). Cop meetings require unanimous agreements, so mandatory reductions in the use of fossil fuels, were never likely to happen. One also has to remember that petrochemical companies (and other 'greenhouse gas' speciual agents) send numerous 'delegates' to Cop meetings. These petrochemical companies also use tiny fractions of their enormous profits, to 'buy' preferred treament from politicians and others. Reports that a 'Loss and Damage Fund' (where developed nations 'might' help poorer countries heavily impacted by climate change) has been agreed, is treated as a 'win'. Even this agreement, however, leaves bags of scope for reneging by industrialised countries. Industrialised nations have found excuses in the past and will find them again!

Infantile Infantino

The outburst by FIFA President, Gianni Infantino, on the eve of Soccer's World Cup, is just plain weird. Most people would find it difficult to see any parallels between being discriminated against, for having red hair in school, and the atrocious (and often fatal) treatment of the 'Guest Workers' who constructed Qatar's stadia. Qatar also, of course, manages to simultaneously powerfully discriminate against women, a variety of gender identities and faiths (https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/nov/19/fifa-gianni-infantino-world-cup-qatar). One has to remember that the 4-yearly Soccer World Cup is primarily a money-making exercise. FIFA is not an alternative, spreading brotherly love, to the United Nations. Perhaps of more concern to Infantinno ought to be the last minute ban on selling alcohol in the stadia? I suspect that the producers of 'Bud' are not going to be very happy about this, given their substantial 'sponsorship'. FIFA's ability to attract future sponsorship, might well be damaged by this ban. Holding the event in our winter (to keep down the temperatures to which players and fans are exposed), has been a major problem for participating teams. Air conditioning stadia is inevitably a further boost (along with airtravel by players, officials and fans, use of mountains of concrete for building venues and accommodation et cetera), to the Earth's 'greenhouse gas' emissions. Sport, never has been separate from politics! FIFA's 'money-grubbing' might well help destroy our planet.

Ratching Up the Blame Game

Black mould in his home, caused the death of a young boy, Awaab Ishak, in Rochdale, Lancashire. The Head of the involved Housing Association has subsequently been forced to resign. It appears, however, that, rather than doing something about prevailing unacceptable environmental conditions for poor tenants, the UK government is more intent on creating 'escape clauses' for dodgy landlords (https://www.theguardian.com/society/2022/nov/19/uk-tenants-face-blame-for-causing-toxic-mould-and-deadly-hazards-under-new-rules). The UK government is looking to 'overhaul' its Housing, Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS). Environmental Health Inspectors carrying out HHSRS checks will be instructed to consider detailed 'behavioural factors' by the tenant. Tenants will be blamed for black mould (and other things), if their property is not judged to be properly heated and ventilated. Renters could be sanctioned for not running extraction fans or regularily openning their windows. They can even be accused of using insufficient heating for their poorly-insulated house/flat. The proposed new HHSRS rules will sanction people for exposing themselves to 'excessively low temperatures'. They suggest that people can do this, out of 'ignorance' or from a desire to 'reduce carbon emissions'. Presumably, the HHSRS haven't heard that energy costs are currently rocketing. Some people already have to choose between eating and heating. They are also implying that concern about a climate crisis is only a weird affectation. Whilst it is true that some tenants don't look properly after properties, slum landlords are a much more likely cause of poor living environemts. The proposed new rules give dodgy landlords a 'get out of jail' card.

Seeing the Changes 1730

In Bynea, six of the usual suspects still in bloom in mid-November. In Loughor, Winter heliotrope (Petasites fragrans) was being more timely.

Not Only Water That's Being Released from the Ice

The Earth's glaciers are rapidly disappearing. Scientists studying surface meltwaters from 10 glaciers (in Europe, North America and the Greenland icecap), found ten's of thousands of bacteria in each millilitre (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/nov/17/microbes-melting-glaciers-bacteria-ecosystems). The scientists consequently estimate that hundreds of thousands of tonnes of bacteria are being released by the melting glaciers. This means that unique microbial ecosystems are also vanishing before our eyes. The released bacteria could fertilise downstream ecosystems. These organisms should be checked, however, for potential pathogens. We may also be 'missing tricks', as some unique bacterial species might be used to develop new antibiotics. Other species may prove to have roles in breaking down problematic chemicals. Grab 'em while we can!

We'd Like Some of That!

Since the beginning of the Industrial revolution, developed countries have aimed to maximise their rate of economic growth. Growth has been popular, as it increases living standards; extends life expectancy; improves medical care and generates a more educated and better fed population. Larry Elliot points out that hardly remarkably currently poorer countries dream of these benefits. The problem is that increasing economic growth in poorer countries, would inevitably result in a higher use of limited resources and exert additional pressures on an already stressed environment (https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/nov/17/growth-addiction-climate-crisis-economic-policies). Elliot suggests that, with the right economic policies, we could concomitantly fight poverty and global heating. He feels that the developed world should adopt strategies, that encourage poorer countries to meet their anti-poverty goals in ways, that are least harmful to the environment. This may well involve providing finance and technology transfer. Otherwise, poorer countries will be tempted to exploit petrochemical resources (like gas in the congo basin), build roads and increase their vehicle traffic etc. Economic growth cannot occur in all the countries of the world indefinitely. It does, however, in democracies, attract votes. People are never keen to get poorer.

It's All Oil-Related?

David Wearing (University of Sussex) offers some interesting insights pertinent to the seemingly strange decision to choose Qatar as a location for Soccer's World Cup. He points out that the resultant 'sportswashing' benefits both Qatar and the 'West' (https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/nov/16/sportswashing-qatar-west-world-cup-regime). Wearing opines that the public here are repeatedly fed the line that, there is a basic tension between Qatar's enlightened rulers and the 'conservative culture' of their population. We are told that this accounts for their attitudes to women's rights, homosexuality and the lethal exploitation of foreign workers. Wearing points out, however, that Qatari authoritarianism sits within a much wider system of power, violence and exploitation. In recent history, the British colluded with local elites in an attempt to ensure the West had continued access to the region's oil reserves. That system persists to this day. A World Cup, of course, is (and has already been, via the construction) also a very major booster of 'greenhouse gas' emissions. Oil built the 'country' and powers the World Cup. Quite puts me off watching Wales (but I might manage a glance at the TV).