COP26 – success or failure
On balance, a success...
These days too much is seen in terms of opposites: good or bad, like or dislike, success or failure. However, life is so much more complicated than this: it is about degrees of success, a blend of outcomes – it is about compromises. Although there have been disappointments, on balance I believe COP26 has been a significant success. Let me explain why.
Super tankers are known for taking time to turn and climate change is a super tanker. In many ways the wheel was put over to initiate the turn in Paris 5 years ago. In Glasgow we are beginning to see the effect – that the tanker that is world inertia is starting to turn.
Secondly, it takes vehicles time to get up to speed from standing and so it will be with climate change activities. We are not up to speed yet, but we are accelerating.
Thirdly, and this is where some of the disappointment comes in, as the saying goes “a stitch in time saves nine”. We are not “too late” - if we were then what is the point in even trying? - but we are passed the “stitch in time”. It is going to become increasingly harder to effect a change and the scar that will remain will get bigger and more noticeable. The more we prevaricate the worse it will be.
What does this mean to you and me?
It means that we cannot afford to continue and sit back and wait for our leaders to reach agreement. We too need to wake up, smell the coffee and increasingly take responsibility for our own actions. This does not mean that tomorrow we must all become vegans, stop flying or hug a tree. What it does mean is that every month we need to consider what we and our businesses have done and plan to do differently.
Desmond Tutu, amongst others, once wisely said that “there is only one way to eat an elephant: one bite at a time”. This is how we all need to approach climate change: a series of small steps. It is time that we all took personal responsibility in our business and our private lives and stopped using the disappointments in negotiations to excuse our own reluctance to change our habits.
The role of Traxis Energy
Our role is to enable businesses to work together to make it easier for individuals to act to reduce the carbon content of their energy consumption. We strongly believe that now is the time for business to take a leadership role, not just to meet regulations but because increasingly consumers want us to. COP26 fuels this further, which means it is not only right, but it also makes good business sense.
So, ask yourself: what am I going to do differently this month, privately and at work, to help minimise climate change?
Author: Simon Anderson