COP28 (12/2): Urging, beseeching, imploring
The words of world leaders. (And: livestreams!)
Link of the day: “King Charles says world heading for ‘dangerous uncharted territory’ at global leaders summit” (CNN)
Gary Payton writes:
Friday witnessed Day 1 of the World Climate Action Summit at COP28 in Dubai - a day filled with speeches from royals, presidents, prime ministers and more. A very short list included King Charles, UN General Secretary Guterres, President Macron, President Lula da Silva, and Prime Minister Modi. Keynoting the summit, King Charles challenged the assembly to take “genuine transformative action.” General Secretary Guterres threw down the gauntlet for the world to stop burning “all fossil fuels. Not reduce. Not abate.” Urging, beseeching, imploring—leaders followed one after the other seeking to persuade their peers to accelerate the effort to combat the climate crisis. But are not these speeches directed far beyond the halls of Expo City Dubai? Consider the cascading responsibilities: congresses and parliaments at the national level, state and province elected leaders, county and city officials, business and NGO executives, faith leaders... and then, you and me. Yes, the speeches of the two day summit are focused at the highest political level, but the messages are clear. We as citizens of the world share the equal responsibility to intensify our individual climate actions and expand our communal work in the neighborhood, the town, the worship place, and beyond. We are each capable of “genuine transformative action.”
Want to do a deeper dive? Catch some livestreams? Gary recommends checking out:
The official COP28 website, hosted by the UAE
The US Center at COP28 hosted by the US Department of State
America is All In—the pavilion of US states, cities, businesses, tribes, and schools
Time zone math ⌚️📡🗓️🧮: Dubai, UAE, is +12 hours ahead of PST, +11 hours ahead of MST, +10 hours ahead of CST and +9 hours ahead of EST. (Or calculate it here.)
BONUS
California streamin’
LATE TONIGHT 🦉:
California Attorney General Rob Bonta, discussing the state’s lawsuit against Big Oil at COP28—which you can watch online here tonight (Saturday, Dec 2, 11:30pm - 1:00am PST).
“The Global Fight to End Fossil Fuels” will feature Bonta and a panel of climate justice advocates from around the world, highlighting recent grassroots wins and strategies against fossil fuels.
ON MONDAY MORNING 🐣:
California Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot, part of the California delegation to the conference, will beam over an update from Dubai, Monday December 4 at 8 am Pacific. Register here.