Um, who was making the pledges?
‘Waiting in vain’: year on from pledge, world clings to fossil fuels
One year after world leaders issued the landmark call for a global move away from fossil fuels, nations are failing to turn that promise into action, say climate diplomats, campaigners and policy experts.
Countries are being urged not to lose sight of that historic agreement ahead of November’s COP29 climate negotiations, where fossil fuels are not top priority.
Despite last year’s climate deal calling for the first time on countries to “transition away from fossil fuels”, major economies are still planning oil and gas expansions in the decades ahead. (snip)
Global emissions — caused mainly by fossil fuels — are at record highs, pushing concentrations of planet-warming greenhouse gases to unprecedented levels, two UN agencies reported.
Since inking the watershed COP28 pact in Dubai “leaders have been grappling with how to turn those commitments into reality”, said Katrine Petersen from E3G, a policy think tank.
Yeah, well, all those “world leaders” who inked the pact sure use a hell of a lot of fossil fuels themselves. They used a hell of a lot just to travel to Dubai and then return home. And continue to use a heck of a lot more than the average citizen, even among 1st World nations.
“When we talk about climate pledges we are talking about more than just arbitrary, empty words,” said Andreas Sieber from activist group 350.org.
Let’s start with all the “leaders” signing these pledges and all the climate cult groups and members pushing for them. Let’s see them give up their own use, rather than always telling others they must give up their own use, usually at the barrel of government force.
Read: Bummer: World Still Clinging To Fossil Fuels, Despite Pledges »