Disagreements between world leaders at COP27 over loss and damage are making headlines. They are a further indication that the COP climate change process is not fit for purpose.

Greta Thunberg decided to boycott COP27, saying that it was being used for greenwashing, and that activists were being excluded. Politicians at COP gatherings are intent on making good headlines while committing as few funds as possible to the climate crisis.

The presence of big fossil fuel companies at COP27 is an outrage. They are benefiting from the close ties between governments and their “own” fossil fuel industries. This is yet another indication of the refusal of leaders to move away from market “solutions” to the climate crisis. The companies tell the world how green they are, while privately lobbying for a continuation of the use of fossil fuels.

No interest in tackling global warming

Leaders are focused on preventing other countries from gaining any advantage. Their overriding concern appears to be to minimize the spending in their own countries. This means that those countries with the least interest in genuine movement on global warming always have the ability to prevent the huge changes that the world needs.

This is especially damaging for the decisions of the worlds two biggest emitters, China and the US. Their economic rivalry is a major obstacle.

It is obvious that poor countries need financial assistance, and also obvious that they can’t afford to pay. But wealthy countries continue to refuse to offer anywhere close to the amount of finance for past loss and damage, future adaptation to changing climates and mitigation of emissions.

And the support for expansion of natural gas as a source of energy is largely due to the unwillingness of governments to invest in renewable energy at home.