Modi doing the math. VENT: The Glasgow climate conference, known as COP-26 or the 26th annual meeting of the Conference of the Parties, is winding down. The Scottish bagpipes are playing as world leaders pledge to strengthen pledges they made at COP-21 in Paris. You know, the curve-bending, paradigm- shifting action-steps that their countries have barely begun to fulfill over the past several years. But this time, we're told, this time is different because blah, blah, blah.
A late-night comic called it COP OUT-26; that's pretty funny and accurate. Hey, did you know that COP-OUT pledges are 100 percent voluntary and unaccompanied by any device, financial or political, that compels or even motivates compliance? I wonder why they don't work...and did you hear the one about countries submitting pledges based on inaccurate data regarding emissions and carbon-sink capacity? It's funny how that inaccurate data always underestimates emissions and overestimates the ability of forests and wetlands to absorb carbon, much like mistakes at grocery-store checkout always seem to be overcharges...
Honesty is so old-fashioned. As is short-term planning. Mere five-year plans are for suckers and Soviets. At COP OUT-26, India has gone long by pledging to reach net-zero on ALL greenhouse emissions by 2070! In that magical year, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be a sprightly 120 years old. Let's start planning the parade. By the way, global carbon dioxide emission are slated to rise five percent this year, a near-complete rebound from the Covid-related dip of 2020. So that's troubling. But there's always 2070! Yay!
A late-night comic called it COP OUT-26; that's pretty funny and accurate. Hey, did you know that COP-OUT pledges are 100 percent voluntary and unaccompanied by any device, financial or political, that compels or even motivates compliance? I wonder why they don't work...and did you hear the one about countries submitting pledges based on inaccurate data regarding emissions and carbon-sink capacity? It's funny how that inaccurate data always underestimates emissions and overestimates the ability of forests and wetlands to absorb carbon, much like mistakes at grocery-store checkout always seem to be overcharges...
Honesty is so old-fashioned. As is short-term planning. Mere five-year plans are for suckers and Soviets. At COP OUT-26, India has gone long by pledging to reach net-zero on ALL greenhouse emissions by 2070! In that magical year, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be a sprightly 120 years old. Let's start planning the parade. By the way, global carbon dioxide emission are slated to rise five percent this year, a near-complete rebound from the Covid-related dip of 2020. So that's troubling. But there's always 2070! Yay!
GET REAL: What, we should stop trying? Without these annual gabfests, climate change trends might be worse. Partial progress, even puny progress, is better than none. In the U.S., more than 80 percent of new power generation is now from renewable sources. And we've reduced carbon emissions 20 percent since 2005 (see below). Okay, that doesn't count the extra methane produced as electric utilities switch from coal to natural gas, and methane is actually a far more potent if less long-lasting greenhouse gas. But still, it's something, right? Just this week the U.S. joined dozens of countries in pledging really, really hard on a voluntary basis to cut methane emissions and stop ALL deforestation by 2030. Okay, ALL is clearly ridiculous, a total over-promise even for pledge-drunk pols. But an actual reduction of 25 percent wouldn't be awful.
So, as the song goes from a certain animated Christmas classic, let's keep putting "one step in front of the other, and soon we'll be walking out the door." See you at COP OUT-27 in Egypt!
So, as the song goes from a certain animated Christmas classic, let's keep putting "one step in front of the other, and soon we'll be walking out the door." See you at COP OUT-27 in Egypt!
Carbon dioxide emissions in the USA. Reductions accelerated a bit after 2008 Great Recession and Obama Administration initiatives on climate change. Statistics courtesy of EPA.
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