36/n I am thinking again now of my recent visit to #Dodoma (yes, HUGE flying guilt, see many posts about this), the new, rapidly expanding capital of #Tanzania. Everywhere you looked, new petrol stations were being built. You can’t and shouldn’t blame African countries entering these development paths, but there are many discussions about this within #Africa.
37/n One idea (another addition to this #COP28 #glossary of sorts) discussed for the last couple of years in this context is that #Africa might #LeapFrog in its #EnergyTransition - ie, that it doesn't have to go through the #FossilFuel stage but can skip it and go straight to clean energy and renewables. One useful summary of this is provided here by Wartsila (a renewable energy company) but there are many critics. Obviously some real #ClimateJustice issues here.
https://www.wartsila.com/energy/towards-100-renewable-energy/pathways-for-africas-energy-future
38/n #COP28 🧵 An important addition/corrective to post 35 ⬆️ on #ODSP above, especially as that got quite a lot of traction. Thank you to @WahbAllat for providing this - it’s really important to not go down the “those bad Saudis” route. In fact, the #US remains the world’s leading oil and gas behemoth and continues to grow, with a record 12.9m barrels of crude oil, more than double what was produced a decade ago, forecast to be extracted in 2023.
39/n Here also a brillant sum-up by Timmons Roberts (CSSN) of what we - those of us who desperately want #COP28 to deliver real, much needed #ClimateAction - are always up against in the #FossilFuel lobby:
“a highly sophisticated, well-funded network of people who are used to winning, and to winning big” .
Btw #CSSN (Climate Social Science Network), set up by Timmons, does really great, incisive work on #ClimateObstruction and #ClimateDelay - do check it out
40/n Final addition today: everyone please read and share this beautiful, heartbreaking post by @bwinbwin
about the #MarshallIslands. It was written in response to a few posts (11 and 34 ⬆️) about the wonderful Tina Stegen, climate envoy of the Marshall Islands- do watch the videos, too, she speaks so powerfully. We should all try and approach #COP28 as Marshall Islanders, and with “Mantin Majel” wisdom ❤️:
41/n #COP28 🧵 Well today Al Jaber announced that 1.5°C and an “unprecedented outcome” are within reach. Wouldn’t it be amazing if he - CEO of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company - actually delivered this? In Dubai?
I would love it to happen. Not just because this would obviously be brilliant for everyone on this planet, but also just as a story! So go for it!
And yes: I KNOW. McKinsey will not take us to under 1.5, that’s for sure.
@pvonhellermannn @scottgal Yeah, that’s not happening I don’t think
42/n #COP28 This #Heated piece by Emily Atkin says exactly what i have been trying to express in this thread:
“The fossil fuel interests attempting to corrupt COP28 would love nothing more than for us to look away. So we will continue to pay attention, not in spite of the bullshit, but because of it.”