In recent days there has been an outcry over Poland’s chosen official sponsors for this COP19 - which include car manufacturers and steel and mining companies - taking place in November in Warsaw. But let’s not kid ourselves, the involvement of organizations, as sponsors, attendees and even leaders in the UNFCCC negotiations isn’t new. Instead of expressing shock and outrage, maybe we should be asking ourselves ‘what do we do about it?’
In recent days there has been an outcry over Poland’s chosen official sponsors for this COP19, taking place in November in Warsaw. As DeSmogBlog says
Without explicit fossil fuel sponsorship, the choice of Warsaw for the UN Climate Talks was already controversial. Poland is not known for its environmental record. In fact, Poland isone of the biggest polluters in Europe, with a carbon footprint larger than Spain’s, despite hosting a smaller population and economy. - DeSmogBlog
Without explicit fossil fuel sponsorship, the choice of Warsaw for the UN Climate Talks was already controversial. Poland is not known for its environmental record. In fact, Poland isone of the biggest polluters in Europe, with a carbon footprint larger than Spain’s, despite hosting a smaller population and economy.
- DeSmogBlog
The article goes on to list sponsors that include fossil fuel companies (Alstom Power and LOTOS group), car companies (BMW and GM) and a steel and mining company, ArcelorMittal.
But let’s not kid ourselves, the involvement of organizations, as sponsors, attendees and even leaders in the UNFCCC negotiations isn’t new.
A quick browse of the internet shows that many COPs have had an official airline partner (Qatar Airways for COP18[1] and South African Airways for COP17[2] for example), and Qatar Airways Holidays was also the ‘preferred accommodation provider’ last year[3].
COP18 also boasted a president - H. E. Abdullah Bin Hamad Al-Attiyah - who has worked variously for Qatar’s Ministry of Finance and Petroleum, as Minister for Energy and Industry, and Managing Director and Chairman of Qatar Petroleum at the same time[4].
COP16 in Cancun had Cemex - an building materials and concrete specialist - as anofficial partner[5]. Concrete is oneof the most polluting substances to produce in the world, contributing 5% of man-made CO2 emissions[6].
COP15 in Copenhagen boasted the car manufacturer Honda as a sponsor[7], and the PR firm Hill & Knowlton was the official media sponsor[8].
Hill & Knowlton have been involved in various dodgey dealings, from denying the link between smoking and lung disease[9] to working for the Bank of Credit and Commerce International in the wake of an international money laundering scandal.[10] H&K also work for America’s Natural Gas Alliance to promote fracking[11].
So while corporate sponsorship by dirty energy companies, car companies and other companies involved in damaging the environment isn’t right, it’s also nothing new. So let’s stop acting surprised, move beyond righteous indignation, and ask ourselves
“what do we do about it?” -
“what do we do about it?”
-
[1] Source: COP18 Official Website
[2] Source: COP17 Official Website
[3] Source: COP18 Official Website
[4] Source: UNFCCC
[5] Source: Reuters
[6] Source: Concrete Sustainability Initiative
[7] Source: Honda
[8] Source: PR NewsWire
[9] Source: Public Relations Review
[10] Source: Federation of American Scientists
[11] Source: NY Times