It is about the carbon footprint of countries, looking for renewable energy along with urging us all to do our bit.
Let’s start with that. That’s not what it's about. Well, OK, the first bit, definitely, about carbon footprints. Renewable energy is one way of helping to fix things. However they don’t care if you and I are doing Our Bit, because Our Bit is a drop in the ocean.
COP is the annual meeting at which the various countries are supposed to report on what they have done to meet their committed targets. Of course, they have never met any of them. So given that up until now our leaders have been completely useless at doing what they need to do, they need to start talking about what they will do, now, and what their plans are for mitigation. So, for instance, how will the sub-Saharan countries plan to feed their starving populations? How will the European countries plan to manage all the people who are going to appear on our shores, getting angrier every year? How will we manage when the clean water runs out and Amsterdam disappears beneath the North Sea?
So while its awfully public spirited of you GG13, not to buy that gas guzzler, its won’t make an iota of difference. What will make a difference is when governments put in place plans to stop the production of gas guzzlers. We need macro solutions, not well meaning Grans.
I recall that you are a businessperson GG13? Well you will be aware that bargains are built on relationships and personalities. So our shiny new PM not going along, just reinforces the idea that the UK doesn’t care. So much for Global Britain, eh?
Virtual? Ever tried to do complex negotiations over a Zoom call? Doesn’t work. Especially if there are 30,000 of you. It’s not “The Voice”. The energy expended going to this meeting is negligible compared to what we have to do to fix this, so wittering on about not wasting the world’s resources so that they can all go on a jolly is risible.
But anyway. I agree that the meetings have been disappointing up until now. The biggest difference between us is that so many people here just seem to think that we should just give up on the whole thing and stay home, while I can see, (as can others here) that this is the biggest threat we have to our way of life – maybe even to our lives. However, I’m not the one with grandchildren who will lead reduced lives because of it – the rest of you are. They’ll be very interested to hear how you didn’t think it was worth doing anything about it, because, you know, the Germans/Chinese/Americans are nasty people who wouldn’t play ball!!!