Credit where it’s due?

More than 32,000 people have flown to petrostate Azerbaijan to discuss climate action.

Errr … that is with notable exceptions of the presidents of the US, Brazil, France and  China, the chancellor of Germany and the prime minister of India, nations collectively responsible for more than 70% of global emissions. 

Day 1 saw an agreement on “climate credits” – rules that govern the trade in carbon credits. This allows countries/companies to buy credits to pollute, by paying for projects that remove/avoid emissions in other parts of the world.

It creates a global carbon market, supervised by the EU. This undoubtedly results in the rich continuing business as usual by buying credits. The global south will become the hosts of the “climate action” projects of the global north …

Hmmmm, seems reminiscent of our recycling schemes. Is this carbon colonialism?

“We welcome this positive momentum,” said Mukhtar Babayev, the president of Cop29, praising a “spirit of compromise that I hope will inspire all our work here in Baku”.

Conversely, criticism was levied by those against climate credits because the rules were rushed without sufficient discussion. Carbon Market Watch described it as “kicking off COP29 with a backdoor deal”.

Also, I’m getting a lot of “what about China?!?!?!??!”-type chat. 

Worth pointing out who makes our stuff now we don’t do manufacturing …