Introduction When times are tough, there's nothing like a bit of winter sunshine to cheer you up. And boy, are there a lot of people who need to get away from the rain and sleet back home. This year, no fewer than 90,000 have abandoned their credibility, boarded their jet planes, and made their way to the bright lights of Dubai for the gabfest that is the annual Conference of the Parties (usually
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referred to as a ‘COP’) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. By all accounts, it has been a lot of fun, tables groaning with gourmet burgers and fine wines, with only slightest seasoning of guilt over the enjoyment of all this excess at a time when most of us are struggling. As we at Net Zero Watch like to point out, the COPs have long followed an entirely
predictable pattern. Each year, hundreds of posturing delegates and thousands of protestors, celebs, and assorted hangers-on fly in from around the world to lecture us all on our carbon footprints. They then start up the negotiations, rapidly reach deadlock, before announcing a last-minute breakthrough. Then, in the cold light of day, everybody accepts nothing has been achieved beyond
expanded waistlines and serious hangovers for all the delegates. Who can now doubt that the climate COPs have become a charade, a meaningless ritual with a comfortable and familiar liturgy that makes everyone involved feel good about themselves, but in which nobody really has the slightest faith? Take a look, and see what we mean.
COP 13
BALI, 2007
`The conference hopes to make progress towards a “Kyoto II” deal.’1
`Bali could be the last chance to avoid the worst effect of global warming’.2
`Evidence is fast mounting that time is running out for nations to unite in a credible response to climate change.’3
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`[Bali attendees `Local Governments for Sustainability’] has registered 282 delegates [including] a selection of Hollywood celebrities such as Michelle Yeoh, Brad Pitt, Cameron Diaz and George Clooney…‘4
`The Bali talks are deadlocked over terms for launching two years of negotiations on a new climate deal.’5
`A compromise deal for a new international climate change agenda was agreed at the UN summit in Bali today. The move was hailed by environment secretary, Hilary Benn, as “an historic breakthrough”.’6
`Bali…may make things worse’.7
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COP 14
POZNAN, 2008
`[UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon] voiced hope that the next set of UN climate change talks in the Polish city of Poznan in December will produce results…’8
`The world will “suicide” if it cannot strike a strong climate pact soon’.9 `[The summit is] the world’s last chance to stop climate change before it passes the point of no return’.10
`A [carbon dioxide] level of no more than 350 ppm is still feasible, with the help of reforestation and improved agricultural practices, but just barely -- time is running out’.11
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`Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Scarlett Johansson and Annie Lennox… said leaders meeting for UN climate talks in Poznan, Poland, this week must step up their commitment.’12
`…environmentalists said the talks were deadlocked in a committee.’13
`Poznan talks `step on way to new climate regime’.14
`…we were disappointed with the lack of progress made at the UN climate negotiations…’15
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COP 15
COPENHAGEN, 2009
`…world leaders hope to come to an agreement on a new climate treaty as a successor to the Kyoto protocol’.16
`Copenhagen summit is last chance to save the planet: Lord Stern.’17 `Copenhagen Climate Talks are last chance, says Gordon Brown’18
`The summit “hangs in the balance”, [President Obama] said. “We are running out of time”.’19
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`Up to 80,000 will gather for mass demonstrations in Copenhagen today…Celebrities including Danish supermodel Helena Christiansen, Helen Baxendale of Cold Feet and Bollywood actor Rahul Bose will take part.’20
`US bids to break Copenhagen deadlock’.21
`…the United States, China and several other countries reached an “unprecedented breakthrough“ Friday to curb greenhouse gas emissions…‘22
`Though many throughout the world hoping for a binding international treaty viewed Copenhagen as a disappointment, it was never likely that the 2009 UN climate change conference could have ended in a binding agreement.’
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COP 16
CANCUN, 2010
`Climate envoy…has high hopes for Cancun.’23
`Jairem Ramesh, the Indian environment minister, sees [the meeting] as the `last chance’ for climate change talks to succeed.’24
`Ministers have begun talks at the UN climate summit in Cancun amid warnings that time is running out to curb climate change and save the UN process’.
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`Scarlett Johansson, Helena Christensen and Bill Nighy are among celebrities who are petitioning negotiators at next week’s climate change summit in Cancun, Mexico.’25 `Environmentalists meanwhile are staging protests and stunts around the luxury conference centre to raise awareness…‘26
`Deadlock over Kyoto means Cancún talks have little to show after two weeks… turning into a never-ending global talking shop, say many of the ministers involved.’27
`Cancun climate breakthrough: It’s not perfect, but it’s a deal’.28
`Last year’s talks in Cancun, Mexico, left open the most difficult issue of whether to extend emissions limits in Kyoto or start afresh with a new treaty.’29
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COP 17
DURBAN, 2011
`Our partners are planning a ‘Caravan of hope’ where campaigners from across Africa will travel through 10 nations en route to Durban.’30
`…the World Council of Churches general secretary, Reverend Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, called the United Nations UNFCCC COP 17 meeting a “last opportunity for the international community to be responsible in addressing climate change”.’31
`Time is not on our side; report after report has shown this. This is not a trade discussion and we cannot wait until the next meeting or the meeting after that to take action. Time is running out for the planet.’32
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`…world-famous celebrities will attend the upcoming UN climate change conference scheduled to start in Durban later this month…including Arnold Schwarzenegger and British billionaire Sir Richard Branson. Other celebrities also planning to attend include Leonardo DiCaprio, Angelina Jolie and U2 frontman Bono.’33
`Deadlock looms over CO2 cuts as Durban summit begins.’34
`Durban climate change conference: breakthrough reached on course for future accord’.35
`The UN climate talks in Durban followed a familiar script of inaction.’36
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COP 18
DOHA, 2012
`…the hope is that some tough decisions will be made at the upcoming international climate talks in Doha.’37
`Tomorrow: the earth’s last chance with climate change?’38
`Ms. Figueres stressed that countries can still reverse [emissions] trends if they decide to act, since the knowledge, technology and policy options needed to curb emissions are already available to them. However, she emphasized that time is running out’.39
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`Paul McCartney wants climate talks not to forget about the meat industry.’40 Qatar deports activists after climate talks protest.’41
`Climate change talks deadlocked on final day of UN summit.’42
`Doha climate talks throw lifeline to Kyoto Protocol.’43
`…for all the blustering commendations from politicians accompanying the 11th-hour “Doha Climate Gateway“, the outcome was disappointing.’44
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COP 19
WARSAW, 2013
`As the Philippines lead negotiator Naderev “Yeb” Saño so poignantly requested on the opening day, let’s hope the talks in Warsaw do reach a “meaningful outcome”.’45
`Is the Warsaw Climate Change Conference a last-chance summit? … this summit could represent a turning point in the fight against global warming.’46
`Time is running out to counter adverse impacts of climate change: Christiana Figueres’.47
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`Thousands march outside the UN climate talks in Warsaw, Poland’.48
`Fears of deadlock at UN climate talks in Warsaw.’49
`Warsaw climate talks end with foundation for a global agreement.’50
`Experts say the failure of November’s UN climate change conference in Warsaw to agree on measures that would lead to a sustained market price increase for CDM credits is likely to discourage…‘51
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COP 20
LIMA, 2014
`Diplomats said they hoped that the [recent] US--China deal would provide momentum to climate negotiations.’52
`Last chance: Change needed for climate negotiations in Lima 2014…A repeat performance next year would be disastrous, not just for the progress of these negotiations, but more importantly for vulnerable communities everywhere and the natural world on which we all depend…‘53
`Scientists warn time is running out to tackle climate change’.54
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`Thousands of marchers demand just solution at UN climate talks in Lima.’55
`UN Lima climate talks go into overtime as deadlock persists.’56
`Lima climate change talks reach global warming agreement. Deal would for first time commit all countries -- including developing nations -- to cutting emissions.’57
`The Peru meeting was nothing much, it disappointed me. I think there was a lack of courage. They stopped at a certain point.’58
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COP 21
PARIS, 2015
`Pope Francis has ‘great hope’ that Paris climate summit will succeed.’59
`The next climate summit in Paris (COP21) may be the “last effective opportunity” to negotiate arrangements that keep human-induced warming `to a limit safe for humanity, while protecting the poor and the vulnerable from ongoing climate change that gravely endangers their lives’.60
’“Science is telling us that time is running out‘: UN climate chief warns the world is “playing with fire“ unless agreement on climate change is reached at international summit.‘61
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`Hollywood actor Sean Penn believes the UN climate change conference to be held in Paris in early December is the last great hope to combat climate change’.62
’Paris climate talks deadlocked, India is the key’.63
‘Paris climate summit breakthrough delivers legally-binding global 64 agreement’.
‘The COP21 climate talks in Paris were not the success that governments claim, but a disastrous failure’.65
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COP 22
MARRAKECH, 2016
`Hopes are high for these talks, dubbed “Action COP”, to make progress’.66
`Governments are drinking in the “last chance saloon”.’67
‘There should no longer be any doubt that we are quickly running out of time.’68
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`There are plenty of celebrities that you can encounter at COP22, should you choose to tune in for the conference. Leonardo Dicaprio, Paul David Hewson, Diego Maradona, Akon, Robert Redford, Arnold Schwarzenegger’.69
`There was a deadlock over finances for developing countries.’70
`In a historic breakthrough, 48 climate vulnerable countries clear the way towards a safe and prosperous future for everyone and commit to 100% renewable energy by mid-century.’71
`Campaigners have expressed “extreme disappointment” at the outcome of the United Nations climate change summit in Marrakesh‘.72
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COP 23
BONN, 2017
`The UN hopes to create an “operating manual” for implementing the Paris agreement on climate change, with talks in the next two weeks in Bonn.’73
`The Bonn Conference may be our last chance to get it right.’74
`We are running out of time to turn things around.’75
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`A shadow delegation stalks the official US team at climate talks’.76
`Breakthrough eludes climate talks, scientists concerned over US role’.77
`After years of gridlock, negotiators make breakthrough on agriculturerelated climate issues.’78
`Unfortunately, we haven’t really seen the kind of progress that’s needed.’79
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COP 24
KATOWICE, 2018
`Three years after the Paris Agreement was adopted, the EU hopes that all parties in Katowice will show the commitment and determination necessary to secure an ambitious and comprehensive work programme’.80
`Katowice offers last chance to limit warming to 1.5°C; countries must revise national plans at the upcoming climate conference’.81
’We’re running out of chances to save the planet from climate change.’82
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`Arnold Schwarzenegger, who has long campaigned against climate change, is expected to draw crowds, while there are reports that other Hollywood celebrities will make an appearance as well.’83
‘First day of ministerial meetings fails to resolve deadlock.‘84
‘Climate negotiators reach an overtime deal to keep Paris pact alive.‘85
‘UN climate accord “inadequate“ and lacks urgency, experts warn.‘86
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COP 25
MADRID, 2019
‘“Signals of hope“ multiplying in face of global climate crisis, insists UN’s Guterres’.87
`UN climate change summit opens in Madrid amid last chance warnings’.88
’Guterres has issued a dire warning that humanity is running out of time to save itself from climate change’.89
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`The 16-year-old environmental activist Greta Thunberg sailed into the port of Lisbon this morning after crossing the Atlantic in a yacht on her way to a two-week global climate summit that opened yesterday in Madrid.’90
`Splits widen over global climate goals as UN summit gathers.’91
‘COP25: Longest climate talks end with compromise deal.‘92
`There is a terrible empty feeling following the outcome of the UN climate talks in Madrid’.93
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COP 26
GLASGOW, 2021
‘COP26 climate summit opens as “best hope“ for tackling global warming‘.94
‘COP26 Glasgow: Climate summit is world's “last chance“ to aver disaster'.95 ‘“This is our last chance“: Biden urged to act as climate agenda hangs by a thread‘.96
‘COP26: Prince Charles says “time has quite literally run out“‘.97 ‘Pope says success of COP26 vital as “time is running out“‘.98
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Leonardo DiCaprio brings star power to Glasgow for COP26.99
‘COP26 faces its final stretch with a deadlock in the negotiation.‘100
‘COP26 seals breakthrough climate deal after major compromises‘.101
‘“Blah blah blah!“ Greta launches scathing attack on world leaders after COP26.‘102
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COP 27
SHARM EL SHEIKH, 2022
‘As nations head for Egypt climate summit, some signs of hope.‘103
‘COP27 represents one of our last chances to avert global catastrophe.‘104
‘Prof Johan Rockström said…the world was coming “very, very close to irreversible changes … time is really running out very, very fast”’.105
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Boris Johnson tells UN climate summit: ‘I am the spirit of Glasgow’106 A young UN advisor whom trolls urged to ‘dress more modestly’ after her ‘cute outfit’ at the COP27 summit made waves online has bitten back.107
‘The UN global climate talks were deadlocked on Thursday evening on the issue of loss and damage funding for developing countries.’108
‘A breakthrough in the talks came on Thursday evening when the European Union said it was willing to create [a loss and damage fund], but on the condition that wealthier developing countries…contribute.’110
‘There was no progress on stopping climate breakdown. COP27 is another terrible failure.’109
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COP 28
DUBAI, 2023
Young climate advocate says COP28 offers 'signal of hope'.113
COP28 is humanity’s last clear chance to avoid a climate catastrophe – UN chief.112
COP28: Time running out to avert catastrophic climate change.111
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Paris Accord architect says COP is ‘a circus’ that’s not needed117
'The clock is ticking': COP28 President urges countries to break deadlock as fossil fuel stand-off continues.116
Almost 200 nations have agreed a groundbreaking milestone at the COP28 summit in Dubai.114
Cop28 failed to halt fossil fuels’ deadly expansion plans – so what now?115
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Notes 1. BBC News, 3 December 2007. 2. New Zealand Herald, 3 December 2007. 3. Nature, 15 November 2007 4. New Statesman, 10 December 2007 5. Xinhua, 13 December 2007. 6. Guardian, 25 December 2007. 7. James Lovelock, quote in The Daily Mail, 22 March 2008. 8. UN News Center, 7 October 2008 9. The Age, 9 December 2008 10. Reuters, 27 February 2009 11. New York Times Dot Earth blog, 23 June 2008 12. Christian Today, 9 December 2008. 13. Taipei Times, 8 December 2008. 14. Swiss Environment Ministry, 13 December 2008 15. Greenpeace, 5 January 2009 16. Ecorazzi, 15 October 2009 17. Daily Telegraph, 2 December 2009 18. Guardian 19 October 2009 19. Daily Telegraph, 18 December 2009 20. Daily Telegraph blog, 7 December 2009 21. Guardian, 17 December 2009 22. CBS News, 18 December 2009 23. New York Times, 10 November 2010 24. Daily Telegraph, 29 November 2010. 25. Daily Telegraph, 25 November 2010. 26. Daily Telegraph, 8 December 2010. 27. Guardian, 10 December 2010. 28. Grist, 12 December 2010 29. Bloomberg, 25 November 2011. 30. Christian Aid, 30 August 2011. 31. Spero News, 27 November 2011. 32. CNN, 12 December 2011 33. Xinhua, 22 November 2011. 34. Independent, 26 November 2011. 35. Huffington Post, 10 December 2011 36. Red Pepper, 29 January 2012. 37. Jamaica Observer, 11 November 2012. 38. The Examiner, 25 November 2012. 39. UN News Service, 26 November 2012
40. Softpedia, 6 December 2012. 41. Reuters, 7 December 2012. 42. Guardian, 8 December 2012. 43. Reuters, 8 December 2012. 44. Independent, 14 January 2013. 45. Union of Concerned Scientists, 14 November 2013. 46. Sustainable Mobility, 14 November 2013 47. Economic Times, 6 November 2013 48. Huffington Post, 16 November 2013. 49. Irish Times, 18 November 2013. 50. Center for American Progress, 4 December 2013. 51. Thomson Reuters, 3 January 2014. 52. Guardian, 12 November 2014. 53. WWF, 23 November 2013. 54. Business Green, 2 November 2014 55. Guardian, 10 December 2014. 56. International Business Times, December 13, 2014 57. Guardian, 14 December 2014. 58. Pope Francis, quoted in The Guardian, 15 January 2015. 59. Mashable, 21 July 2015. 60. L’Osservatore Romano, 29 April 2015. 61. Daily Mail 22 July 2015 62. Rfi.fr, 1 November 2015. 63. Hindustan Times, 9 December 2015. 64. Finnish Ministry of the Environment, 15 December 2015 65. Guardian, 12 December 2015. 66. Environmental Investigation Agency, 24 November 2016 67. Edie.net 68. The Conversation, 3 November 2016 69. SoMoroccan.com, 4 November 2016 70. ChinaDialogue.net, 21 November 2016 71. UNFCCC, 18 November 2016 72. The Independent, 19 November 2016. 73. Guardian, 6 November 2017. 74. Vice, 5 May 2017
75. United Nations, 3 November 2017 76. New York Times, 11 November 2017 77. Indian Express, 14 November 2017 78. World Resources Institute, 20 November 2017 79. Council of Canadians, 18 November 2017. 80. The European Interest, 2 December 2018 81. Down to Earth, 1 December 2018. 82. The Independent, 1 December 2018 83. Financial Post, 3 December 2018. 84. Indian Express, 11 December 2018 85. New York Times, 15 December 2018 86. Guardian, 16 December 2018 87. UN News, 1 December 2019 88. City AM, 2 December 2019. 89. ABC, 3 December 2019 90. The Times, 3 December 2019. 91. Financial Times, 11 December 2018 92. BBC News, 15 December 2019 93. Irish Times, 16 December 2019 94. TRT News, 31 October 95. The National, 9 August 96. The Guardian, 18 October 97. Sky News, 1 November 2021 98. Reuters, 11 November 2021 99. BBC 2 November 100. AFP, 12 November 101. Bloomberg, 13 November 102. Daily Express, 14 November 103. The Sydney Morning Herald, 30 October 2022
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104. The Observer, 30 October 2022 105. The Guardian, 27 October 2022 106. Politico 7 November 2022 107. Daily Star, 12 November 2022 108. Wall Street Journal, 19 November 2022 109. George Monbiot, Twitter. 110. Irish Times, 17 November 2022 111. https://friendsoftheearth.uk/climate/ cop28-time-running-out-avert-catastrophic-climate-change 112. https://cleantechnica. com/2023/11/25/cop-28-is-humanitys-lastclear-chance-to-avoid-a-climate-catastrophe-un-chief/ 113. https://www.thenationalnews.com/ climate/cop28/2023/03/15/young-climateadvocate-says-cop28-offers-signal-ofhope/ 114. https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=mEbXSR6mvRE 115. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/dec/14/cop28-fossil-fuelsdeadly-expansion-plans-what-now 116. https://www.businessgreen.com/ news/4154995/clock-ticking-cop28-president-urges-countries-break-deadlockstand-continues 117. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/ articles/2023-09-06/paris-accord-architectsays-cop-is-a-circus-that-s-not-needed
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