8 Comments
founding
Jan 17, 2023Liked by Alexander Verbeek 🌍

This is a great piece. The remembrance of Dr Martin Luther King Jr is an excellent prelude to your summary of Sustainability Week and the quote you chose is perfect. So nice to see the Alexnote again. It was a really good one.

Each of these conferences seems to hold much promise as they begin but when they conclude, there’s disappointment. There’s hope this one is a bit different and the quotes from the incoming President-Designate for COP28 are very interesting. If a country like UAE who produces an enormous share of the world’s fossil fuels can commit to green energy, isn’t there hope for all others?

As we see the devastating changes occurring daily on our planet, there’s no room left for denial or excuses.

As Sultan Al-Jaber said, “We need to go much further and much faster.”

Thanks for this interesting update.

Expand full comment
Jan 18, 2023Liked by Alexander Verbeek 🌍

Thank you for this!!! You’ve sorted thru the noise for us here, and I do so appreciate it! My gut feeling was he must be too good, with that background, or it’d never have happened! Such relief you’ve given us! I’m so happy you covered this here so thoroughly, and with such a beautiful tie in to MLK!! Thank you, thank you!!!🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

Expand full comment
Jan 19, 2023Liked by Alexander Verbeek 🌍

Excerpting MLK Jr's remark about "... perishing together as fools" is apropos. Like other readers of The Planet, I too hope that Al Jaber's impassioned and ambitious speeches will reap real results. Bill McKibben's article in today's New Yorker (https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/a-hotter-planet-takes-another-toll-on-human-health) seems to put an exclamation point on Alexander's statements.

Expand full comment
Jan 18, 2023Liked by Alexander Verbeek 🌍

This text goes in many directions and I am impressed by the new young forces led by the Emirati Sultan Al Jaber, emerging and wanting to engage technology and new projects in the safeguarding of earth and environment. What a immense challenge !

Expand full comment
Jan 18, 2023Liked by Alexander Verbeek 🌍

Alex, thank you for providing your thoughts about Al Jaber. I was mortified when I first heard about him. You’ve given a rational, sensible picture of the man. Let’s hope he will be able to influence others so progress and change continues.

Expand full comment
Jan 17, 2023Liked by Alexander Verbeek 🌍

This was a great read, Alex! I always appreciate food for thoughts, especially when it is so stimulating. Your point on why Al Jaber may be the right candidate, made me think about the dynamics of human and sex trafficking. Everyone points the finger at the traffickers or the women but very few at the “customers”. They are the ones who actually feed the trade. Apparently the number of excuses that we hear as to why men need porn or prostitution outnumbers the reasons to put an end to human exploitation. The priority should be the health of our planet/ ending human slavery and not who is perceived to be the best candidate.

Expand full comment
Jan 18, 2023Liked by Alexander Verbeek 🌍

Thank you for your wise guidance for us during this critical time.

Expand full comment
Jan 17, 2023Liked by Alexander Verbeek 🌍

Such a good post, Alexander. Thank you.

Expand full comment