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Opinion | After COP26, here’s how the US and China can show real leadership on climate change
- The world’s two largest economies, and biggest carbon emitters, have the political and economic clout to push the developed world to taken financial responsibility for the years of emissions that have contributed to climate change
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Why you can trust SCMP
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When it comes to climate change, there should be no excuses. The ongoing negligence and lack of decisive steps from governments and politicians should be identified or even penalised if proper action is not taken to avert the destruction of our planet.
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We are not talking about hypothetical delusions, such as the threat of being invaded by aliens, but the actual consequences of our own unrestrained consumerism that are literally set to kill us.
Sadly, the neoliberal set at the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow decided to engage in, to quote Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, “a two week celebration of business as usual and blah blah blah” – at a huge cost to UK taxpayers.
With 45,264 of the 53,374 tonnes of carbon dioxide generated at past COP conferences coming from air travel to the meeting, and streets around the venue clogged with chauffeur-driven vehicles, many with their engines idling, according to a reporter at the scene, the summit would have been better off opting for a virtual format.
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Climate deal to ‘phase down’ coal reached at COP26 as nations seek to avert climate disaster
Climate deal to ‘phase down’ coal reached at COP26 as nations seek to avert climate disaster
Nevertheless, US President Joe Biden and the rest of the Western political class portrayed Chinese President Xi Jinping as a villain for not attending the event, although Beijing had a delegation on the ground and announced a new action plan ahead of COP26.
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