COP28 The Greenwashing Challenge

“COP28 The Greenwashing Challenge” In the global fight against climate change, the importance of sincerity and genuine commitment cannot be overstated. As COP28 unfolds, a shadow looms over the conference – the broken technology of greenwashing, threatening to undermine the true progress needed to address our planet’s escalating environmental challenges.Protecting profits and share prices with pseudoscience and bad economics.

Sometimes, a turn of phrase makes all the difference. The sentence “Let’s eat, Grandma” and “Let’s eat Grandma” have very different meanings. If you pay attention to COP28, you will catch a similar spin. Rather than calling for the phase-out of fossil fuels, which all respected climate studies and climate bodies agree is essential to save the planet, the COP28 President Al Jaber and his oil company cohorts are calling for the “phase-out of fossil fuel emissions.” It sounds and feels similar at first glance, but dig a little deeper, and it’s just as morally corrupt as cannibalising an older relative. You see, they want to continue to pump out black gold and keep the status quo, global influence and wealth of oil nations, oil companies, and oil executives like Al Jaber, but offset the planet-wrecking emissions with CCS (Carbon Capture and Storage that isn’t naturally derived). But can CCS really do this? Or is this a thinly veiled bit of propaganda?

Before we dig into the number here, I must first address that CCS itself isn’t necessarily a broken or corrupt technology. In fact, it will play a vital role in our path to net-zero. The IEA states that CCS needs to capture approximately 1.5 Giga tons of CO2 per year by 2030 and 6 Giga tons by 2050 in order for us to reach net-zero. The problem comes in its application. In almost every viable net-zero pathway, CCS is only used to offset emissions from industries that are essential and difficult to decarbonise, such as chemical and cement production. It is never linked to oil production, and there is a very good reason for that, which we will come onto in a minute.

The Fragile Facade at COP28:
Underneath the facade of eco-friendly pledges and promises lies a broken system of greenwashing technology. This technology, designed to project an illusion of sustainability, often falls short of delivering meaningful, measurable results. The consequences are profound, as trust in the collective efforts to combat climate change erodes, and the effectiveness of global initiatives is compromised.

Impact on Global Climate Action:
The ramifications of broken greenwashing technology extend beyond mere reputational damage. They hinder the ability of COP28 to catalyze transformative change. If commitments made during the conference are perceived as insincere or as mere greenwashing, the global community may lose faith in the efficacy of collaborative climate action, jeopardizing the very essence of the conference.

Moving Forward: A Call for Authenticity:
“COP28 The Greenwashing Challenge” As COP28 progresses, the broken greenwashing technology must be acknowledged and rectified. The global community must demand authenticity, transparency, and accountability from all stakeholders. True progress can only be achieved when nations and corporations embrace genuine, impactful initiatives that contribute tangibly to a sustainable future.