COP26

It's all very well trumpeting net zero targets for when those in power now are no longer likely to be in power; what I want to hear policies that will be enacted and actions taken within the current term of all these leaders. That's what's missing - it's all jam (or pain) tomorrow.

It's the mark of a leader to take unpopular, but necessary action. Always having an eye on the next election results is inaction and passing the buck - it's how the necessary measures are communicated that sway the electorate.

Delaying action plays to the party in power, both now and in the future, when it's likely a government comprising what today is the opposition that will probably be in power, requiring even more drastic action from them, leading to the party currently in power being returned on a wave of unpopularity for the then governing party - if you get my drift. 

Greta Thunberg is criticised as a virtue signaller for minimising her carbon footprint while Joe Biden is criticised as a hypocrite for travelling to COP26 with a motorcade - by the very same people and media outlets. Even if Joe Biden were to turn up on a unicycle, these critics would not change their minds about climate change and would still see it as the enemy.

If we look at the passing of the COP26 motion for a law to prevent illegal deforestation, it's actually a law to stop countries' supply chains from using products from illegal deforestation and it will have only limited impact, as all a country has to do to negate it is to legalise the deforestation that's currently illegal. Any country that makes a large amount of money from deforestation will enact such laws, such as Brazil, which is already considering making illegal logging legal.