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Will COP26 end up being a lot of blowing smoke and solving nothing

Deb suggests world leaders need to start walking the walk not just talking the talk on climate change
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Daresay - Deb Meissner

So it seems another climate summit has come and gone. With all the expected last-minute drama, it seems to me the outcome was predictable. Yes, all 197 countries agree something must be done about climate change, even China got in on the action in a backdoor kind of way.

Are all the countries, or major players, more importantly, were going to make the drastic changes in their countries by 2030 they promised back in 2015? Hmmm let’s see, has Canada made any drastic cuts so far? Nope. Awareness and carbon offsets just are not going to do it.

It’s going to take some brass you-know-whats to make the kind of changes that the planet needs, and I don’t see many political leaders putting their political necks on the line to make them.

Our dependence on fossil fuels, coal, etc., permeates every facet of our day-to-day lives. As a population, we don’t even realize all the products we use that are just, for example, petroleum-based. Let’s look at a few you may not be aware of: contact lenses, glasses, toothpaste, soap, shaving cream, perfume, cosmetics, combs, hand lotion, deodorant, pantyhose. Shall I go on? Do any of those surprise you?

We are all culprits, sometimes not aware, but we need to educate ourselves and be more proactive. Recycle, be conscious of what you buy, walk to work, buy a hybrid or electric vehicle if you can, grow your own food, vote for green solutions when they come up. So many ways to make a difference and change.

Now to get the bozos on the world stage leading our collective countries to actually do what they committed to. It’s up to us, as well, to hold them accountable.

I also think we need new players with fresh and innovative ideas in the political arena, that are not the paid-off puppets of the same old stagnated, guard.

I’d like to see more people in politics who talk plain, who actually answer questions, recognize differences and seek solutions that may be outside the norm, but look for innovative and inclusive solves. I want to see a politician say “I don’t know, what do you think?”

How about this one? What about having a leader who is strong enough to work with all parties to tackle issues, instead of using our taxpayer money to argue, buy attack ads, and other such nonsense, how about once elected, everyone in office is mandated to work together to solve problems, like, starvation, clean water and pollution.

Once in office, lose the party lines and get something done. I’m sick of political jargon, hollow promises, and a myopic view of the world, and planet.

Politicians should get a reasonable wage, no payoffs, no kickbacks, just get paid from one source, the taxpayer and that’s it. Then maybe an unbiased eye can be turned to the larger problems of humanity.

If they don’t, I don’t care how many COP26s, Paris Accords, or Three Amigo forays they spend gazillions of dollars on (and why aren’t they just using zoom like the rest of us?), they are blowing smoke and solving nothing.

How much did all of them spend on opulent accommodations, private jets, etc., for all these meetings? If they had all stayed at the Holiday Inn I might have been impressed. Why not put that money they spent toward a solution to our endangered planet?

Until they do, their citizens get to put up with ravaging wildfires, cyclone bombs, heat domes, rising seas, and conditions of such sickening proportions it boggles the mind.

COP26, smomp49. Who cares? Just get to work!