‘We Can’t Ignore Their Inaction’

GLASGOW, SCOTLAND — Climate talks have gone into overtime, with negotiators blowing past the Friday official ending. A new draft text that dropped Saturday morning showed that developed and fossil fuel-producing countries continue to be impediments to the action needed.

Being inside the talks is frankly a bit of a mind fuck. Within the halls, it’s clear how monumentally important the talks are for some people. While there have been some side agreements at the talks in Glasgow, including a firm commitment by a small set of first-mover governments to end oil and gas and less stellar agreements on methane and clean cars, the draft text has failed to deliver on promises of money and the urgent need to end fossil fuel use. It’s looking like Glasgow will be marked as yet another series of talks that’s unlikely to deliver what the world actually needs.

On Friday, a contingent of civil society watchers who have access to the talks staged a walkout, meeting with activists in the streets to show their intense displeasure with what was happening in the negotiating rooms. It was a powerful statement also meant to shake the whole world from its reverie and give a damn.

Fossil fuel companies have been laser-focused on influencing the talks, sneaking in a larger contingent of delegates than the biggest country delegations. For those who want a future not decided by the companies that have done the most to damage the climate, activists said it’s vital for more people than ever to get engaged and hold governments accountable.