Various world leaders and their representatives have gathered in Glasgow, Scotland, by the thousands to attend the COP26 conference, mainly on their own private planes. Also attending are various other extravagantly wealthy individuals, such as Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos.
The 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, abbreviated to COP26, is presented as a crucial event. This is where the very rich and influential gather together in a last-ditch attempt to save the planet from an impending climate crisis. Some, like Boris Johnson, have referred to it as a “doomsday device.”
So, what better way to reduce emissions in this dire scenario than by getting hundreds of private planes to all travel to one location? This also occurs as many countries globally face lockdowns and travel restrictions imposed by COVID-19 policies. But if you are an elite, you may do as you please if it’s to “save the world.”
How to save the planet pic.twitter.com/9vqOg28Aoo
— 𝘽𝙧𝙮𝙖𝙣 𝙋𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙛𝙞𝙪𝙢𝙚 (@BryanPassifiume) November 1, 2021
The Conference of Parties (COP), attended by world leaders, is the body that implements the UN Framework Convention of Climate Change. In this document, climate change is defined as “attributed directly or indirectly to human activity.” This means that there is no recognition that climate change can occur naturally by the UN: every instance of it they attribute to human activity.
This is an insidious implication. By not delineating what could be natural climate changes, compared to what is caused by human activity, just about anything could be used as a pretext to clamp down on “climate change.”
Not to mention, it is very unscientific, which is ironic as they often treat science like an uncontestable monolith.
Indeed, that is what they have been doing. Talk of climate-induced doomsday has occurred since the 1970s, occasionally predicting an apocalyptic scenario by the 2000s. Both global cooling or global warming were mentioned as possibilities.
The language has shifted from “global warming” in the 00s to early 10s to terms such as “climate change,” “climate crisis,” and “climate catastrophe.” But, even back in the 70s, some academic literature cautioned against “instant books” or drawing sensationalist, hasty conclusions from the research. This is something policymakers would do well to take to heart.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also took the time to make a statement at the conference on Monday. He claimed he would cap oil and gas sector emissions and aim for a net-zero emission by 2050. He called this measure “absolutely necessary,” even as he acknowledged that Canada is a significant oil and gas producing country. This occurs as the domestic O&G sector struggles and gas prices — not to mention the cost of living — soar for the average Canadian.
The vast majority of people care about the health of the environment. However, when world leaders fail to practice what they preach and show a reckless disregard for their own people, it is delusional to believe that they are being sincere. All that does is detract from any real issues at hand.
