Fossil of the Day

Cough, cough …. Did anyone else notice that strange haze in the air? … cough, cough … I suppose there issomething to be said for the way light reflects off the “clouds,” but really? Why are we at COP in a coalregion?

Polish President Andrzej Duda said yesterday during his speech delivered at COP 24 that there is no contradiction between climate protection and coal use. He also stated that Poland has coal reserves that will last for 200 years more. Then today, speaking at the Barbórka Academy of the Tauron Group, he stressed that the Polish mining industry and mining constitutes “one of the foundations of the Polish economy”, determining the country’s energy security and are “to a great extent” a guarantee of its energy sovereignty. What a warm (or boiling hot?) welcome from the hosts of COP 24!

There is a stark contrast between his words and what science says €“ the recent IPCC report clearly states we have 12 more years to save the world and deliver on ambitious climate action. Meanwhile, the past four COP Presidents have been busy urging parties and stakeholders alike to send an “unequivocal message” from Katowice on the need to “enhance ambition by 2020 that puts the world on a trajectorycompatible with the objectives of the Paris Agreement,” pursing efforts to limit warming to 1.5C. It’s clearthe presidency is not doing enough!