In a performance worthy of the finest comedians, the COP28 climate summit has managed to turn its bold proclamation of ending fossil fuels into a farcical retreat.
Dramatic U-Turn in the Land of Oil The article begins with a dramatic setting: the oil-rich United Arab Emirates, where the once-loud calls for a fossil fuel phaseout have been reduced to mere whispers of 'reducing' them.
As Politico puts it, "The prospect of a deal to end fossil fuels fadedwhen organizersreleased a draft proposal that merely suggested reducing them instead." A Chorus of Discontent Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore, in a statement that reeks of hyperbole, declares, "COP28 is now on the verge of complete failure." Meanwhile, U.S. climate envoy John Kerry, during a fractious meeting, laments that the draft "Really doesn't meet the expectationsin terms of the urgently needed transition to clean sources of energy." The irony here is thick - the very champions of these policies seem shocked that their unrealistic expectations are unmet.
The retreat from a fossil fuel phaseout to a vague suggestion of 'reducing' them is not just a policy failure; it is a testament to the unrealistic and often theatrical nature of the climate debate.
One can't help but appreciate the humor in watching these climate crusaders grapple with the inconvenient truth that their lofty alarmist aspirations often crumble under the weight of practicality.
As the 28th United Nations climate summit draws to a close in Dubai, after another year of devastating heat waves, droughts, wildfires, storms and record high global temperatures, the entire process is threatening to break down.
Not only has COP28 failed to meet this moment demanding dramatic and immediate climate action - it has made a caricature of it.
https://wattsupwiththat.com/2023/12/12/cop28s-fossil-fuel-phaseout-a-comedy-of-errors/
No comments:
Post a Comment