Posted by & filed under COP 17.

So, in the spirit of the purpose of the COP, I’d like to point out a few contradictions…

There are 500 bicycles, available for free, for delegates to use to get around Durban in a carbon neutral manner.  There are at least 10,000 delegates.  About 100 of the bicycles have been used.  So 1% of delegates are putting their muscles and sweat glands on the line to minimise their impact.  Rather symptomatic of the overall negotiation will-power and drive at the COP…

A colleague of mine was required to fly in from Cape Town for one day for an “event” to showcase joint Japanese-SA research, which no one will attend, apart from those forced to do so, and the dignitaries for whom the show has been put on.  The Cape Town – Durban carbon footprint pales into insignificance compared to that of the Japanese who are being jetted in from afar.  And the $ cost of the event could probably have paid for another researcher on the project for a whole year. Rather symptomatic of the general wastage of all climate change funding as the original budgets get eaten away by bureaucracy in the treacly trickle down to the coal face…

It would be nice if we could work out everyone’s net carbon budget for the COP = carbon emitted getting to and being present at COP minus the marginal reduction in future emissions arising one’s activities at the COP.  I suspect most people’s net budget would be positive (that is contributing to not avoiding “dangerous interference in the climate system”).

But never mind, the curry at Amaravathi Palki night was excellent, and we all went there in a single vehicle…and yes, I will be flying back to Cape Town, rather than cycling.

Mark

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