FARTING IS TO BE CRIMINALISED - a Blog Post by spunkycumfun

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11/16/2021 10:52 am

FARTING IS TO BE CRIMINALISED

The 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, widely known as COP26, has just finished. The talks were held in the Scottish city of Glasgow. Nearly every world leader attended its proceedings; notable exceptions were the Chinese, Russian and Turkish leaders, though there were Chinese, Russian and Turkish delegations at the conference.

The main aim of COP26 was to agree on measures to combat climate change and, in particular, to limit the increases of global temperature. In Paris, six years ago, COP21 agreed to limit global warming to within 1.5C of pre-industrial levels.

There is global warming because of the increasing emission of so-called greenhouse gases, like carbon dioxide and methane, which trap heat in the atmosphere that would otherwise escape into space. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, consisting of leading climate scientists, reported that the effects of global warming in excess of 2.0C would be catastrophic and irreversible.

Several deals were struck in Glasgow. First, there was an agreement, signed by 137 countries covering over 90 per cent of all forests, to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation. Trees absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen. Already, because of deforestation, the Amazon releases more carbon dioxide than it absorbs.

Second, there was an agreement over methane emissions. Over 100 countries pledged to cut their methane emissions. However, three of the five largest methane emitters, China, India and Russia, refused to sign this agreement. Methane is a very potent greenhouse; it warms the atmosphere 80 times faster than carbon dioxide. Farting will become an act of climate crime!

Third, there was an agreement to reduce the use of coal. But this agreement was watered down, after last-minute objections from China and India, from phasing out to phasing down the use of coal. India is almost totally dependent on coal to fuel its economy.

Fourth, there was a limited agreement to phase out fossil-fuel cars and vans signed by over 30 countries. But China, Germany and the US refused to sign this agreement. Germany exports a lot of cars!

Fifth, there was a renewed pledge that rich countries would provide so-called climate finance to poor countries in recognition that richer countries have most caused global warming and are best placed to manage its effects, and that poorer countries are most adversely affected by climate change and are least able to deal with its effects. It is one thing for the Dutch to manage the North Sea with its system of dykes to stop Amsterdam from mass flooding; and it is another thing for the Maldives, a group of low-lying islands, to stop disappearing into the Indian Ocean as sea levels rise. But this pledge has been made before and the monies never materialised.

Overall, COP26 is a mixed bag. The agreements to end deforestation and to cut methane emissions are very significant in combatting global warming. But its agreements on coal, cars and climate finance are far less significant; they are fudged deals which do little more than kick these issues into touch. But these climate change talks are part of an ongoing process; there is COP27 next year to be held in Egypt, where it will be at least much warmer than Scotland.

How worried are you about climate change?
Do you think governments are doing enough to combat climate change?
How green are you in everyday life?

I am very worried about climate change. I am quite green in the way I live. I use public transport, but I do eat meat. Climate change is by far the biggest issue facing the world today; it is an existential threat. Governments are doing something but I worry what they are doing may be too little, too late. I very much hope I am proved wrong.

For those who want to read more on climate change, there is a very informative website, Climate Action Tracker, which shows on a thermometer how the world is doing in controlling global warming. Also, for what it is worth, I did a post on COP21 six years ago - see GOOD COP, BAD COP.