The United Nations climate talks ended with mixed results. The good? There was a deal and a number of commitments outside of the Glasgow Climate Pact. The bad was also there. Many of the pledges are nonbinding and a last-minute gut punch to the pact watered down language around fossil fuel subsidies and ending coal.
Some of this outcome is tied to the UN process. Consensus can be hard to come by because every country gets one vote. The actions and will of a few nations are what make up the real world. The foreign minister of Tuvalu can make an impact from the middle of rising seas, but the U.S. and other countries have more power over the world economy.
The U.S. was seen as a leader at these talks, but that is only one part of the story. The High Ambition Coalition is a group of countries that are committed to giving the poor nations a fighting chance. It signed onto a side pact to reduce methane emissions by 30%. It didn't pony up money for the climate damages it has caused and let the language around coal and fossil fuel subsidies get watered down.
It is easy to point the finger at President Joe Biden, John Kery, the Republican caucus, and Sen. Joe Manchin, who held up the Build Back Better Act. There is something to be said about the dangers of an unengaged citizenry that is not demanding more of them.
I don't like Blaming climate failures on individuals. State and corporate actors who benefit from the polluted status quo are the ones who have the burden to act. I want you to wake up and give a damn about climate talks and strong climate policy that bends the curve of fossil fuel production to give the world a shot at a better future.
The U.S. is the largest historical emitter. The country is rich. It was ranked around 40th in terms of search interest for the conference that will play a key role in determining the fate of humanity. Millions of lives will be impacted by what happened in Glasgow and the climate talks of the years to come.
The U.S. was a force in the backrooms of the Glasgow climate talks, even as it trumpeted signing onto pledges that lack meaningful substance. The first year of the Biden administration is better than the first year of the Trump administration, but that is hardly a significant bar to clear. The U.S. could be a stronger force for good with a bigger mandate back home and a more engaged populace who want to see a just climate future. Most people don't care enough to do a quick search on the internet.
The forces against the talks are strong, and that's why they'rehing on an informed and engaged populace. The biggest delegation in Glasgow was made up of oil and gas companies. Fossil fuel trade groups are trying to undermine the act. Civil society can help ensure that they don't get their way by sending a message to lawmakers that they need to follow through on passing popular policies.
Look. I am not an idiot. Republicans in Congress and fossil fuel corporations are turning our discourse into a toxic waste dump. We are in a dark place because of denial. Joe Manchin is still alive. Journalists have often failed to live up to the moment.
The volume of searches for "COP26" or "UN climate talks" is just a small part of the picture. It is indicative of the fact that Americans don't feel as urgent as they should about the most important issue of our age. A Washington Post/ABC News poll found that 70% of Americans think the climate crisis is a serious problem, but that figure has not changed in seven years. A majority of Americans are worried about climate change, but only a small percentage talk about it at least occasionally, according to a Yale and George Mason University survey. We need to feel that urgent like our lives depend on it. Because they do.
The outcome of the conference in Glasgow, the fate of the Better Act, and what follows over the next few years will have an outsize influence on the world. At this moment, an engaged citizen is essential. If you are invested in a future that doesn't leave millions suffering through heat, rising seas, and inequality, it's time to be all in.
One way to engage with the climate talks is by engaging with it. It is hard to believe that a single person can change the course of the world that has been using fossil fuels for two centuries. The coal, oil, and gas armor are cracking. The armor will break faster if more people show up with hammers. A group of 10 countries stood up a week ago and said enough is enough, they would no longer extract oil and gas in line with the world's main climate goal.
The lack of stone didn't end the Stone Age, according to the Climate Minister of the coalition. It ended because newer technologies were found. We need to end the fossil era because we have better alternatives and because we need to, not because of the lack of fossils that will still be down there.
The future is those countries. They are ready to chart a new course after seeing the pressure of their citizens. If you want to follow that path, your country needs you. If you want to save the lives of millions, you need to get engaged. Discuss climate with friends. Call your senators and representatives. Climate news can be read by media executives to increase investment in climate coverage. More climate champions will be elected. Tell your city to ban new gas hookups. Do everything you can. The world depends on it.
