Title: Breaking Down COP28: The Critical Climate Conference

Welcome to a special episode of the Sustainability Solved Podcast!

In this episode, we introduce a brand-new co-host, Charlie Luxton, an architectural designer and TV presenter well-known for his passion for the built environmental and sustainability, as seen on Homes By The Sea and Building The Dream. 

With COP28 just around the corner, we’ve invited guests with strong opinions to discuss one of the most significant events in the sustainability calendar. Our first guest is Georgia Elliot-Smith, environmental activist and the founder and managing director of sustainability consultancy Element Four. Joining us is Emma Littlewood, Strategy Director at Green Element Group, and creator of the comprehensive carbon footprinting platform, Compare Your Footprint. 

Tune in as we dive deep into the inner workings of COP28, explore the impact of industry and capitalism, and discuss the prospects of revitalising this pivotal event for a sustainable future.

This episode of Sustainability Solved is sponsored by Business Declares, a not-for-profit business network who inspire, encourage, and accelerate action within businesses to address the climate, ecological, and social emergency.

They are an active network of 100+ businesses who back our commitments to reach net-zero, restore and protect nature, and advocate for regulatory change.

Join Business Declares as a member to get help on accelerating your action on net-zero targets and on nature targets for your business from the network. Find out more here: Business Declares

Highlights: 

COP28 Explained

• Our guests delve into what COP is, its evolution, how the agenda is developed, and key sustainability milestones like the Rio Summit in 1992, the Kyoto Protocol, and the Paris Agreement in 2015. 
• Georgia shares her experience as an observer at COP, telling all about the ‘green zone’ for businesses and public, and the ‘blue zone’ – the heart of negotiations. 

Oil and Gas at COP28:

• Emma exposes the staggering subsidies offered to the oil and gas industry and their involvement in COP28. 
• Concerns are raised about this year’s COP28 host, the UAE, and their connections to the oil and gas industry. 
• Georgia reveals that the UK have given £20 billion more to fossil fuels than renewables post Paris Agreement. 

Reviving COP:

• We discuss how the merging of industry and governments is problematic in climate discussions, with our guests pushing for strict rules to limit corporate influence at COP. 
• The guest’s desire for COP28 to fail to pave the way for a more effective future is expressed. 
• Emma emphasises the critical outcome of COP28 to be immediate end to oil and gas exploration and a binding global deal to phase out fossil fuels. 

Resources:

COP28

Element Four 

Compare Your Footprint

Rio Summit 1992 

Kyoto Protocol 

Paris Agreement 

Mentioned in this episode:

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