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For most of my professional career I’ve been working in environmental roles of one form or another. I’ve noted changes over time in weather patterns and climate that accord with the predictions that were made back when I first started out. All those chickens are coming home to roost.

I am of course a very small fish in this pond, but I swim in it most days and like the real environment it is more polluted now than it ever has been. There used to be a few of us small fish back in the early days, and we were often branded as alarmist or thought to hold one point of view of which there were many alternatives. If you’ve followed this for any period though you’ll know that there is now consensus on this and apart from sceptics who spout a lot of nonsense, most of the world is listening. Except that it isn’t really.

Although I’ve seen changes in my time and moves to more sustainable sources of fuel and energy, the reality this is really too little too late. After the complete failure of COP27 to achieve a meaningful agreement on carbon reduction it seems likely that we’re in for catastrophic climate change. It’s likely that the poorest countries will feel it the most, but don’t think that it won’t affect you because it is likely to at some point. If you are my age or younger it will. Unless you are going to check out from your mortal coil in the next few years it will.

Should you be worried, yes probably you should be. It depresses me and although I work with some engaged and smart people, there are regular periods when I’m left thinking – “What is the point?” If the big fish can’t get their act together what hope do us small fish have?

Don’t believe the Greenwashing that COP27 is a success, it isn’t. It would have saved more CO2 emissions by not happening at all. It is a flawed and obsolete process that is little more than an exercise in countries talking about what they should be doing and then failing to agree to do anything substantive.

Apologies for the rant, but if you made it this far; thanks for reading.