NZ And The Paris COP21 Climate Talks

Though Volkswagen admitted in September to cheating vehicle tests that measured carbon dioxide emissions levels, the German auto giant is listed as one of the conference’s sponsors-and they’re one of many corporate giants being accused of hypocrisy by Brandalism.

The COP21 climate change conference opened unofficially yesterday (Saturday, November 28, 2015), when COP 21 President Laurent Fabius symbolically handed over the keys to the Le Bourget conference location, approximately 6 miles from the city center, to UNFCCC Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres.

The UK-based guerrilla artwork group Brandalism took credit for taking over more than 600 advertising spaces on bus stops and street corners around the city and placing satirical ads almost identical to those of the companies they skewer. One image, included below, takes aim at Vokswagen’s large-scale diesel emissions-fixing scandal. “The multinationals responsible for climate change can keep green-washing their destructive business models, but the communities directly impacted by them are silenced”.

Meanwhile the Prince of Wales evoked Churchill’s description of Battle of Britain fighter pilots when he said: “Rarely in human history have so many people around the world placed their trust in so few”, adding the deliberations will decide the fate not only of those alive today, but of future generations.

Marcuse said other big corporate sponsors of the negotiations including “Engie, Renault-Nissan, and some banks like BNP Paribas have caused big pollution problems and can’t present themselves as being part of the solution”.

The massive Brandalism display was timed to coincide with the arrival of world leaders and corporate representatives for Monday’s official kickoff of the talks.

Over the weekend, protesters clashed with police in Paris, where people had gathered despite the ban to protest.