World leaders gathered for COP26, promising once again to save the planet. Pledges stacked high: net-zero targets, methane cuts, coal phaseouts.
The breakdown:
- Promises vs. reality: Commitments stretch decades. Fossil fuel use keeps climbing now.
- Winners and losers: Wealthy nations pledge money to help poorer ones adapt — but rarely deliver.
- Political will: Leaders return home to lobbyists and legislatures that gut deals before the ink dries.
The summit’s speeches were about 2050. The atmosphere is about 2021. Every delay is a victory for industries that profit from destruction.