This week is just for going through the motions
Inside the UN climate conference in Glasgow it is not possible to be both an optimist and a realist. Equally true it is not possible to be both a realist and a pessimist.
Today the big press conference was for a joint US-China accord on technology transfer. The US will share carbon capture tech and China will agree to clean up methane emissions. It is not a big ideal for either because the technology the US is offering is old and not commercially viable — a yard-sale unloading of the boxed-up stuff in the basement. China’s agreeing to clean up methane is something they should be doing anyway and we are all waiting to see if the US cleans up its own fugitive emissions while they’re at it. Still, everyone is applauding the US and China being nice to each other and coming out and shaking hands.
It is a lot about optics, isn’t it?
In other news, meat industry groups pledged to meet Paris Agreement targets by 2030. By 2025, all Meat Institute members that handle animals will need to pass third-party audits for animal care during transportation and handling. I don’t know how that reduces emissions, but maybe it will.