Al Gore in his explosive TED talk on the tactics of the industry explains that they are corrupting the COP process. More and more industry delegates attend each conference and petrostates can veto resolutions to reduce emissions. Fossil fuel companies aren’t really our friends, he claims.
Here are six simple questions companies must answer in the affirmative before they should be admitted to COP conferences:
- Has the company adopted a real net-zero commitment, including interim targets for 2025 and 2030, and don’t rely on the use of junk offsets?
- Has the company planned a clear phase-down plan for oil and gas production aligned with the 1.5°C target, including interim 2025 and 2030 goals, and ending new or expanded production?
- Is the company going to use windfall profits to invest substantially in clean energy, technologies and adaptation and mitigation funding for developing economies?
- Is the company to complete transparency in all corporate lobbying and ending anit-climate lobbying?
- Will the company end greenwashing, including the labelling of “carbon neutral” or “net zero” fossil fuels?
- Will the company be in favour of reforming the COP process, which currently allows petrostates to have an absolute veto on anything the world wants to discuss or action?
Your actions will help
Read here about the growth of the fossil fuel industry at COP conferences from Madrid 2020 onwards and follow the link to the TED talk . Al Gore is really fired up and angry. We should all be just as angry and determined not to let the industry spoil our habitat for our children.
So what should we do about it – other than watching the rest of this amazing TED talk?
- Ask questions at election meetings of candidates.
- Write to your MP.
- Email the Minister of Climate Change, Hon James Shaw.
- Write to the Climate Change Commission asking them to take the same stand as Al Gore.