Interview: European COP30 representative discusses resistance to environmental policies and taxing technology

In a bid to mitigate the energy-hungry nature of artificial intelligence (AI) and cryptocurrencies, discussions about imposing taxes on these technologies are gaining traction. However, the feasibility of such taxes remains uncertain.

This news story is published with permission from Thomson Reuters Foundation and covers topics such as carbon and climate, policy and finance, and regions including Europe, the Global community, South America, and the United States.

Laurence Tubiana, the special envoy to Europe for COP30, taking place in Belém, Brazil in November, believes that the delay in taking action is a problem as it's a race against time and we are losing the battle. Tubiana hopes that Brazil can revive some of the Paris Agreement spirit, encouraging nations to turn their red lines green and commit to limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

The digital economy's demand on the energy sector is currently large and growing rapidly. Tubiana was appointed by Brazil as one of 30 special envoys to build engagement across strategic regions and sectors ahead of COP30.

The focus now is on enforcement and implementation of the Paris Agreement. Despite the US's withdrawal, the agreement hasn't been significantly challenged and sticking to the framework is the best we can have for the moment. Since 2015, important changes related to the Paris Agreement include the 2021 adoption of international rules for Article 6 at COP26, addressing challenges like double counting in carbon markets and enhancing global coordination on climate goals. However, implementation has faced delays due to disagreements between developed and developing countries.

The suburbs of Paris, Lyon, and Strasbourg are experiencing suffering due to their inability to afford cooling systems during heatwaves, highlighting the real-world impact of climate change. Movements in these cities argue that they are paying the price of climate change and are advocating for climate policies.

Tensions have risen around the fossil fuel sector's growing influence, making discussions more polarized. Tubiana believes that the idea that the public is against the environment is a fabricated message, and values can be instrumentalized to distort reality.

Other special envoys include New Zealand's former prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, and Brazilian world record-holding big wave surfer Maya Gabeira. The discussion on taxing cryptocurrencies is considered important due to the need for government regulation in this area. AI could be a future topic for tax discussions, but its feasibility is currently unclear.

The story is related to COP, fossil fuels, regulation, tax, climate, climate justice, blockchain, the Paris Agreement, climate risk, global warming, COP28, artificial intelligence, COP29, and COP30. It also pertains to SDGs 9, 13, 16, and 17. The author mentions that many good things that seemed unrealistic have happened in the past, offering a note of hope for the future.