Despite the growing urgency to address the climate crisis, global carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels are set to reach an all-time high in 2023, according to a new report.

This alarming trend underscores the need for immediate and decisive action from world leaders, who have so far failed to match their rhetoric with concrete measures.

Lisa McCormick, a prominent environmental advocate, expressed deep concern over the inaction of world leaders at the ongoing COP28 climate conference. She recently posted a petition at https://www.democratsfor.us/climate and criticized world leaders for inaction on this urgent threat.

“As the world convenes for COP28, I stand before you, not with hope, but with a deep sense of disappointment and urgency,” said McCormick. “COP 28 refers to the 28th meeting of the Conference of the Parties, the United Nations climate change conference taking place in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from 30 November until 12 December 2023. It would be more appropriate to call these meetings a cop-out.”

“While world leaders waste time talking about the climate at COP28 without actually doing anything about the emergency, new data shows carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels are at an all-time high,” said McCormick.

The report, published in the journal Earth System Science Data, reveals that global CO2 emissions are expected to peak at 36.8 billion tonnes per year in 2023. This represents a 1.1% increase from 2022 and a 1.4% increase from 2019, the pre-pandemic year.

The report’s lead researcher, Pierre Friedlingstein of the University of Exeter (UK), expressed dismay at the lack of progress in reducing emissions.

“The effects of climate change are evident all around us, but action to reduce carbon emissions from fossil fuels remains painfully slow,” said Friedlingstein.

The findings of the report add to the growing body of evidence that the world is dangerously off track to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement, which aims to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius, preferably to 1.5 degrees Celsius, compared to pre-industrial levels.

McCormick urged world leaders to take immediate action to reduce emissions, emphasizing the need for a transition away from fossil fuels towards renewable energy sources.

“We cannot afford to waste any more time. The time for action is now,” she stressed.

“The inaction of world leaders in the face of the climate crisis is not only a moral failure but also a threat to the future of our planet and its inhabitants,” said McCormick. “Leaders must rise to the occasion and take decisive action to avert the catastrophic consequences of climate change.”

In another recent statement, McCormick said:

The irony of hosting a climate conference in Dubai stems from the city’s economic reliance on fossil fuels, its high carbon footprint, its unsustainable development practices, and the presence of oil and gas companies at COP28. These contradictions highlight the challenges of addressing climate change in a world where economic interests and political agendas often overshadow environmental concerns.

Despite being aware of the climate-changing impact of their products since the 1960s, the fossil fuel industry has prioritized profit over environmental protection, engaging in climate denial and disinformation campaigns.

Despite the urgent need for action, none of the 39 major oil and gas companies have adopted strategies aligned with limiting global warming.

Instead, the industry is expanding operations and investing in new fossil fuel reserves, contradicting recommendations from experts.

For decades, world leaders have gathered in grand halls, making lofty promises and pledging to protect our planet. Yet, the climate crisis continues to spiral out of control, and the world’s leaders seem content to fiddle while the Earth burns.

The time for complacency is over. The time for empty rhetoric is over. The time for corporate influence and political corruption is over.

We are facing an existential threat, a crisis that threatens the very fabric of our civilization. Yet, our leaders fail to act with the urgency and determination that this crisis demands. They are more concerned with appeasing their corporate masters and securing their own political futures than with saving the planet.

COP28 has become a mere spectacle, a forum for more false promises and oil company propaganda.

These so-called leaders engage in a charade of concern, while behind closed doors, they strike deals that will further entrench our dependency on fossil fuels.

I do not want to mince words. I denounce the corporate influence that has corrupted our political systems as well as the greed and corruption that has prevented us from taking meaningful action on climate change.

The time for change is now.

It’s 90 seconds to midnight but our political system is broken. Americans must rise to the responsibility of citizenship!

We must demand that our leaders act with the courage and conviction that this crisis demands. We must hold them accountable for their inaction. We must rise up and demand a future where our planet is not just habitable, but thriving.

I urge you to join me in this fight.

https://www.democratsfor.us/climate

Together, we can create a world where future generations can breathe clean air, drink clean water, and live in harmony with nature.