The UN Climate Conference in Brazil ended in disappointment, with the final report lacking any language acknowledging the role of fossil fuels in the crisis. This is an absurd, dangerous and irresponsible omission, but it’s not particularly surprising.
Fossil fuel lobbyists outnumbered delegations from all the participating nations at the Belem conference, except those of the host country, Brazil. Imagine a convention of lung cancer specialists dominated by cigarette companies, or a meeting on school safety populated by gun dealers.
Some aspects of the COP 30 report represent genuine progress, but the failure to recognize oil, gas, and coal as major drivers of climate change is a tragic dereliction of duty. The world’s energy economy must transform away from fossil fuels if humanity is to survive and prosper in the coming centuries, but you wouldn’t know it from reading the documents released this week in Belem.
Warren Senders, Medford, Mass.