A Colossal COP Out
27th UN Climate Talks
In This Issue:
A Colossal Cop Out
Life with Livvy and Lotta Dog — MIRACLES!
Celebrations
Given the clear and present danger and real-time effects of the climate crisis, I had held, as I previously reported, relatively high hopes for the United Nation climate talks that just wrapped up. Those hopes were largely misplaced. Rather than being an historic COP 27 turning point as some had predicted, it was in fact, an utter cop out by leaders of the top polluting nations. Due to intense pressure from fossil fuel lobbyists and oil czar states like Russia and Saudi Arabia, along with China, the final COP 27 agreement makes no mention of reducing or phasing out fossil fuels. The agreement does reconfirm the pledge to take measures to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius but without addressing fossil fuels that is just empty talk and completely impossible.
The only real accomplishments were around world finance. For the first time in history the world’s major polluters agreed to set up a fund to help those countries who haven’t contributed much to climate change but are facing the worst of the impacts – it’s called the Loss and Damages fund. In addition, UN Secretary-General António Guterres unveiled a Net-Zero Greenwash Report in which the UN lays out a framework that would ensure that countries and companies that sign on to the required emission-reduction plans actually take measures that meet those plans. For instance, they would not be able to claim emission reductions for measures taken at home if they were investing in fossil fuel development in other countries. As example, the Biden administration couldn’t claim emission reductions from renewable energy investments through the Inflation Reduction Act if they issued permits for Chevron to increase oil drilling in Venezuela, which, insanely, is exactly what they did last week. The Greenwash framework would also require businesses to include emissions resulting from supply chains and financial institutions would be required to factor in the emissions resulting from all their activities and the projects they fund.
If the Greenwash framework can be enforced it will be a major gamechanger. As for the Loss and Damages fund, as far as I’m concerned, it’s just a bait and switch and guilt assuagement ploy. It is basically saying we aren’t going to do anything to reduce the escalating climate crisis but we’ll throw some money at it after the devastation strikes. This ass-backwards approach is so frustratingly familiar in America. We barely fund mental health or substance addiction services but feed billions to the jail and prison industry, which is largely populated by people with mental health and addiction issues. We pay out massive subsidies to corn, soy, wheat, and rice producers, which are the major ingredients in highly processed foods that contribute to obesity and diabetes. We then pay massive public health costs for those resulting diseases. I absolutely feel that the world’s major polluters should help pay those less-polluting countries and regions bearing the brunt of climate change related disasters. However, doing so without getting serious about cutting additional climate change emissions is morally bankrupt. And, in truth, you cannot buy your way out of the irretrievable loss of entire ecosystems, species, places of beauty, and cultures.
It is argued that the fossil fuel industry needs to have a big presence at the COP events because that industry will face the greatest impacts from efforts to handle the fossil-fuel driven climate catastrophe. Given the history I disagree. The industry has not acted in good faith through TWENTY-SEVEN such negotiations. They have done everything possible to prevent any real measures to evolve beyond fossil fuels. This time, reports show that there were over 630 fossil fuel lobbyists at COP 27, a 25% increase from the talks last year. And, according to the International Energy Agency, the net income for the world’s fossil producers is on pace to double in 2022 from last year, to a new high of $4 trillion. Seems to me that’s enough money to handle a transition to a new paradigm, one that isn’t destroying our planet.
It's been said that if you keep doing the same thing, you’re going to keep getting the same result. We’ve now had twenty-seven COP gatherings and are still hurtling toward the cliff of full-blown climate catastrophe. The UN should absolutely ban fossil fuel companies and lobbyists from participating in COP 28. Given their track record, they have no place at the table discussing strategies for a livable future and healthy planet. It is the United Nations, not the United Fossil Fuel Corporations. Let’s not let the voices of those of us willing to speak the truth about our situation and the necessity of deep, system redesign be drowned out by Big Oil blood money. I am in the process of tracking down how to submit comments to Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry and other relevant UN – related officials and will pass along any useful information I find.
Finally, despite the cop out by world leaders there were some hopeful signs at COP 27. Activists – youth, indigenous people, faith leaders, and nations getting hit hard by climate changes -- had a more visible presence. Meanwhile, the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation treaty gained traction with eighty countries signing on.
Here’s to humanity gaining some sanity and our beautiful planet getting a chance to heal.
Cylvia
Life with Livvy and Lotta Dog — May the Course be with You!
By now, you readers likely know that my current addiction is dog agility. I am also a big Star Wars fan and I love the dorky expression we sometimes use in agility, “May the Course by with you!” A week ago, I stumbled into the coolest synchronicity. I’ve been a student of A Course in Miracles for over seven years and its teachings have transformed my life. Some of the biggies include:
· We are not a body.
· We have control over the emotions we feel.
· We are always either listening to the little ego voice or the Highest Self voice for God.
· Fear is not the problem; the problem is the beliefs we hold that lead to fear. Often those beliefs aren’t true.
· Etc., etc., really empowering stuff.
I have written and taught a lot about a Course in Miracles and currently lead a monthly discussion group. Just a few days ago as I was preparing for that group, “May the Course be with you” popped into my head. Well of Course! (pun intended). Now when I utter that salutation, I will be thinking both dog agility and Miracles! How fun is that?!
I’m sure I’ll be playing with how agility and a Course in Miracles come together for some time, but right off the top both are vehicles for choosing joy, noticing when ego takes the driver’s seat and gently moving it to the back, and spending time being fully attuned to the Holy Instant of right now.
Livvy and I completed in our third agility trial this past weekend and though I wouldn’t call our performance miraculous, it was pretty darned good. She earned our Open Standard title, which is pretty impressive so early in our career and with her still a baby dog. I made a ton of handler errors all the way through the trial but I learned a lot and Livvy carried us. Feeling blessed. Here’s an unfortunately low-res vid (complete with a phot bomb from a fellow agility friend) of one of our runs.
May the Course be with you my friends!
Cylvia and Olive
P.S. LottaDog (Freya) was none too happy being left home but she did enjoy the extra chew bones and all the snuggling upon reunion. I’ll be bringing her along to open practice tonight just so she can be part of things and vacuum up any dropped training treats.
Resources, Inspirations, Celebrations
Shell banned from assaulting South Africa’s Wild Coast
A South African court has banned Shell from searching for fossil fuels along the country’s Wild Coast, a decision hailed by campaigners as a “massive victory” for the planet. The petroleum giant planned to conduct underwater explosions to locate deep-sea oil and gas reserves. Activists took the matter to court, which ultimately ruled that Shell's exploration rights were granted illegally by the government.
All around nicely done.