COP23 , the 23rd yearly climate change gathering , has begun . delegate from nearly 200 land are attend , all hash out exactly how best to put through the Paris agreement and stop a future full of weather extremes – all except the United States , of course .
In fact , something uniquely bizarre is befall with America at the assemblage in Bonn , Germany . One delegation is compose of theWe Are Still In coalescence , a pro - Paris group of governors , mayors , business leaders , and scientist that defend around one - third of the US population . The other , technically theofficial deputation , is comprised of member of the Union government whose subject matter will genuinely be “ coal is a answer to clime alteration . ”
image of the two delegating meeting for a face-off , or even a dance - off , are whirr around our minds flop now . It ’d hardly be a fair fight though : the unofficial delegation has facts , science , and the rest of the planet on their side .
In any case , the fact that this division exists is fabulously embarrassing . Every undivided rural area on the planet , bar Syria , is on card with theParis agreement . Every other delegation consent that a ) climate alteration is being triggered by humans , and b ) coal is literally the worst affair you may burn to accelerate clime change .
Perhaps most notably , despite all the federal - level obfuscation around mood change scientific discipline , the Trump administration was recentlyforced to publisha major governmental theme that conclude that , unsurprisingly , clime alteration is serious and we are the cause of it .
Regardless of all this , an advisor to the President is going to tolerate up in front of a confounded crowd during the 2d week of COP23 and tout thesupposed benefitsof ember . Several members of the fogy fuel industriousness , including coal - giant Peabody Energy , will join in on this low-spirited parade of alternative fact .
It ’s really difficult to see what they ’re going to say . It ’s like go to a preservation summit and explaining why endangered tigers , contrary to what the rest of the world thinks , should be set on ardor . Their one saving grace is that they ’ll be talk aboutnuclear powertoo , but showing off this low - carbon energy seed does n’t make up for pretending coal is the savior here .
Clearly , people are n’t impressed . Some , like Fiji ’s master treater Nazhat Khan , thinks that nothing constructive will come out of talk with the US at this point .
“ you’re able to have a dialogue even with somebody who is an ax murderer , ” hesaid .
Although it ’s unconfirmed , it appears that pro - coal , anti - scienceScott Pruitt – the oral sex of the Environmental Protection Agency ( EPA ) – will not be leading the delegation or even attending COP23 . Talk about not putting your money where your mouth is .
