ETS Group / Silvia Ribeiro will be tracking events at UNFCCC’s COP 26 in Glasgow over the next two weeks, both in person and on-line, and aim to keep you informed about events as they unfold!
We’ll be watching out for and speaking out about three key traps we see lurking at COP 26:
🔥 Trap 1: Is geoengineering being ushered in to let Big Oil off the hook?
Diversionary attempts to include untested, dangerous and yet-to-be-developed geoengineering technologies are being promoted as acceptable outcomes of COP26, under the banner of ‘Nature Based Solutions’ (NBS) and ‘Net Zero’. These largely non-existent technologies are based on biased scientific theories that provide an alibi for the fossil fuel industry to continue extracting and polluting. Countering government and corporate narratives promoting ‘net zero’ and geoengineering technologies is a vital task at COP26, to avoid wasting the little time we have to really change course.
You can learn more about geoengineering in the second in our new podcast mini-series about disruptive tech. In « Volcanic Disruptions » ETC’s Silvia Ribeiro explains what geoengineering is and why it’s so dangerous.
Read our 4-page briefing: “Geoengineering and the ‘net zero’ con at COP26”
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🔥 Trap 2: Why ‘Net Zero’ is a dangerous doublespeak trick
There is growing civil society opposition to the use of the term ‘Net Zero’ and other ‘doublespeak’ terms to enable business-as-usual by fossil fuel companies and others when real solutions are urgently needed. Next week will see hundreds of civil society organisations challenging ‘Net Zero’ and you can track, find out more and join in by following #NetZeroIsNotZero
…and check out #COP26Doublespeak for the launch of our ‘Doublespeak Detective’ competition in week 2 of COP26!
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🔥 Trap 3: AIM for Climate’s big con on food and climate
The Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate (AIM for Climate) initiative being led by the US and United Arab Emirates appears to be proposing energy-hungry farmer-free food production as a potential source of carbon credits to facilitate continued oil and gas extraction, while reframing industrial agriculture as a climate solution. AIM for Climate debuted at the New-York based Food Systems Summit and will officially launch at the Glasgow climate change negotiations next week. Stay tuned for more information about this climate/agriculture trap.
Read our blog “As big oil states plan to promote energy-hungry agtech as a ‘climate solution’ at COP26 it’s time to question their aim.”
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