That shouldn’t rock the bank balance of the bourgeoisie too greatly.
Only 317 private jets flew into Brazil for this year’s gab session. It was well down on the 1,200 that usually grace the COP meetings. Did some lower their dignity and hitch a ride with their Monaco neighbour?
Or, maybe, the thought that a chunk of Amazon jungle was cleared just for the conference stuck in their craw?
The Maldives have it sorted. You know; those islands that are supposed to be underwater now but are still building international airports. They charge an exit tax on Business Class passengers of $200. It helps pay for the snorkels when holding Cabinet meetings underwater telling the world about their ghastly plight as rising sea levels bring even more distress.
"Properly designed aviation taxes can raise predictable revenue for climate and development finance, while reinforcing fairness and solidarity.” Yep, that should get a few thousand booked into COP31 destined for the next exotic venue. We could send our Māori dance group again. They must have helped get an auspicious outcome at Belem.
COP30 launched two new initiatives, a Global Implementation Accelerator and the “Belem Mission to 1.5” to enhance and speed the implementation of countries’ NDCs and national adaptation plans (NAPs) and keep 1.5 degrees C within reach. Wow, that’s a pretty big deal. Pity they didn’t mention fossil fuels – not once. Um, I thought that was the big issue that had to be dealt to?
It is bit like going to a bull fight and having no bulls.
But they did agree on a schedule of meetings in various centres around the world over the next 12 months. That’s progress. Should save a degree or two.
Negotiators worked really hard over the two weeks between dinners and tours to create a set of 59 indicators across seven sectors, such as water, agriculture and health, including on finance, capacity building and technology transfer. The list included considerations such as gender and human rights. Imagine the travesty if “gender rights” were left off. That would be a recipe for us having to sweat through another couple of degrees of rising temperature, surely.
Then the irony. The elite technocrats running the whole show from the backroom significantly altered the 59 indicators in the final report back session. All that effort, all those tears, all the hard negotiations aimed at fixing the world’s problems and some faceless bureaucrats kill it stone dead.
The wordsmiths were fully stretched. How do you say “we achieved significant progress and created great camaraderie and agreement” when there is sweet nothing to report. How do you keep those perennial conference goers from Greenpeace positive and focused on saving the planet when they head for the airport with not a single victory, not a step forward to boast of, not even the tiniest chink in the bastion of that capitalist energy stronghold.
So, it was “até a próxima!”, “see you next time”, nothing achieved but those Chilean wines were absolutely fabulous and the camarão na moranga was unforgettable. Already excited about COP31 in Turkey. Imagine seeing the Hagia Sophia or the Topkapi Palace. Ah, the baklava and the kebabs.
Got enough airpoints for an upgrade now, so will find out if Turkish Airways have a first class. Want to arrive fresh, ready for some more tough talk.
Must try harder to get fossil fuels on the agenda, too.
Owen Jennings, a former Member of Parliament and President of Federated Farmers, maintains a keen interest in ensuring agricultural policies are sensible and fit for purpose. This article was sourced HERE
Only 317 private jets flew into Brazil for this year’s gab session. It was well down on the 1,200 that usually grace the COP meetings. Did some lower their dignity and hitch a ride with their Monaco neighbour?
Or, maybe, the thought that a chunk of Amazon jungle was cleared just for the conference stuck in their craw?
The Maldives have it sorted. You know; those islands that are supposed to be underwater now but are still building international airports. They charge an exit tax on Business Class passengers of $200. It helps pay for the snorkels when holding Cabinet meetings underwater telling the world about their ghastly plight as rising sea levels bring even more distress.
"Properly designed aviation taxes can raise predictable revenue for climate and development finance, while reinforcing fairness and solidarity.” Yep, that should get a few thousand booked into COP31 destined for the next exotic venue. We could send our Māori dance group again. They must have helped get an auspicious outcome at Belem.
COP30 launched two new initiatives, a Global Implementation Accelerator and the “Belem Mission to 1.5” to enhance and speed the implementation of countries’ NDCs and national adaptation plans (NAPs) and keep 1.5 degrees C within reach. Wow, that’s a pretty big deal. Pity they didn’t mention fossil fuels – not once. Um, I thought that was the big issue that had to be dealt to?
It is bit like going to a bull fight and having no bulls.
But they did agree on a schedule of meetings in various centres around the world over the next 12 months. That’s progress. Should save a degree or two.
Negotiators worked really hard over the two weeks between dinners and tours to create a set of 59 indicators across seven sectors, such as water, agriculture and health, including on finance, capacity building and technology transfer. The list included considerations such as gender and human rights. Imagine the travesty if “gender rights” were left off. That would be a recipe for us having to sweat through another couple of degrees of rising temperature, surely.
Then the irony. The elite technocrats running the whole show from the backroom significantly altered the 59 indicators in the final report back session. All that effort, all those tears, all the hard negotiations aimed at fixing the world’s problems and some faceless bureaucrats kill it stone dead.
The wordsmiths were fully stretched. How do you say “we achieved significant progress and created great camaraderie and agreement” when there is sweet nothing to report. How do you keep those perennial conference goers from Greenpeace positive and focused on saving the planet when they head for the airport with not a single victory, not a step forward to boast of, not even the tiniest chink in the bastion of that capitalist energy stronghold.
So, it was “até a próxima!”, “see you next time”, nothing achieved but those Chilean wines were absolutely fabulous and the camarão na moranga was unforgettable. Already excited about COP31 in Turkey. Imagine seeing the Hagia Sophia or the Topkapi Palace. Ah, the baklava and the kebabs.
Got enough airpoints for an upgrade now, so will find out if Turkish Airways have a first class. Want to arrive fresh, ready for some more tough talk.
Must try harder to get fossil fuels on the agenda, too.
Owen Jennings, a former Member of Parliament and President of Federated Farmers, maintains a keen interest in ensuring agricultural policies are sensible and fit for purpose. This article was sourced HERE
2 comments:
Julian Wilcox on RNZ chatted at length with a couple of typically loquacious maori delegates. They clearly enjoyedt the junket and look forward to more. Unclear what acheived except certainty of more junkets.. Presumably they did not meet expenses themselves.
President Macron. Speaking at a "summit" that no one was really interested in. Wanting to "tax" planes & flights.
Is this the same "person" who "accepted money from -
- Boris Johnson when PM
- Rishi Sunak he followed above -
"said funds ( on both occasions, large amounts of English Pounds, more than could be afforded - not that it worried Boris at the time) being handed to France to stop the migrant flow from the South of France to the beaches of Normandy".
No that the "money" did anything, compared to the English -
- Royal Lifeboat Assn
- Citizens of the South Coast
- English Police, on the South Coast
> who all lent a hand to 'welcome' said denizens from Africa, Afghanistan, Syria, Lebanon, Gaza, Sudan, all breaching UK Immigration Laws.
It was interesting that the "world wise" noted, that they were all men (of military age) and many of them have become criminals perpetrating heinous crimes upon the citizens of the UK.
And what did Macron do ??
Oh, yes he travels the World, with partner to Conferences on this and that - makes amazing speeches, gets media airmiles, but for what??
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