Columns

The American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan (ACLU) recently announced that Bonsitu Kitaba-Gaviglio will be its next legal director. With the organization since 2016, and deputy legal director since 2019, Kitaba-Gaviglio has been serving as the organization’s interim legal director since the departure of her predecessor, Dan Korobkin, who was appointed to serve as a judge on the Michigan Court of Appeals in April.  

The American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan (ACLU) recently announced that Bonsitu Kitaba-Gaviglio will be its next legal director. With the organization since 2016, and deputy legal director since 2019, Kitaba-Gaviglio has been serving as the organization’s interim legal director since the departure of her predecessor, Dan Korobkin, who was appointed to serve as a judge on the Michigan Court of Appeals in April.  

While at the ACLU, Kitaba-Gaviglio has worked on a wide range of civil rights cases involving reproductive rights, economic justice, racial justice, and free speech, among others. She has litigated cases on behalf of a class of Black homeowners in Detroit who were subjected to illegal tax foreclosures, and Flint residents during the Flint Water Crisis to secure the replacement of all lead pipes in the city. Kitaba-Gaviglio also co-wrote the state constitutional amendment, Reproductive Freedom for All, a voter approved ballot measure that enshrined reproductive rights in the Michigan Constitution in 2022. 

Kitaba-Gaviglio has frequently been recognized for her legal advocacy, earning the State Bar of Michigan’s 2024 Champion of Justice Award, Planned Parenthood of Michigan’s 2023 Social Justice Award, and Michigan Lawyer’s Weekly 2022 Influential Women of Law award, among others.? 

A native of Canada and graduate of the University of Toronto, Kitaba-Gaviglio has lived in Detroit since moving here in 2011 to attend Wayne State University Law School. 

“It is the honor of a lifetime to assume the role of legal director of the ACLU of Michigan, an organization that has transformed countless lives and been an unwavering guardian of justice,” said Kitaba-Gaviglio.  “To follow in the footsteps of extraordinary legal directors like Michael Steinberg and Daniel Korobkin is a privilege and a sacred responsibility. 

“Each day, I am driven by a core purpose: to champion the rights of our clients and every person who calls Michigan home. The work ahead will not be easy. The threats to the Constitution and the rights we hold as most fundamental are profound and urgent. Our legal advocacy requires both being nimble in the moment to ensure we are beating back against the attacks on our most fundamental civil rights and liberties while building long-term litigation strategies that reform and dismantle systems of oppression.  

“I am fortunate to work alongside a remarkable team whose brilliance, dedication, and shared sense of purpose inspire me constantly. Together, we find strength in our mission and joy in the work itself. 

“This moment would not be possible without my parents, whose lives embody the very ideals I now dedicate myself to defending. Coming from distant parts of the world, they built their lives on a foundation of sacrifice, activism, and simple acts of kindness. They showed me that justice is a living practice which demands courage, compassion, and an unshakeable belief in our shared humanity.  

“I am ready, and I am deeply honored to lead this exceptional legal team as we defend the rights and freedoms of every person in Michigan.”  

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Foley, Baron, Metzger, & Juip PLLC is pleased to announce that associate attorney Chloé Schumacher has been selected as the 2026 Young Lawyers Golden Gavel Award recipient by the Michigan Defense Trial Counsel (MDTC).

This honor is awarded to outstanding young attorneys who demonstrate exemplary advocacy skills, a strong commitment to the legal profession, and meaningful leadership within the defense bar. 

Schumacher will be formally recognized at the 10th Annual Legal Excellence Awards to be held at The Gem Theatre on Thursday, March 19, 2026.

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Courtney A. Lavender, an appellate attorney at Plunkett Cooney, was recently elected as a council member of the Appellate Practice Section of the State Bar of Michigan.

Lavender, who will serve a three-year term, was elected during the Section’s Nov. 21 board meeting after two seats were vacated following the annual meeting. Consisting of the chairperson, chairperson-elect, secretary, treasurer and 17 at-large members, the Appellate Practice Section Council provides education, information and analysis on relevant appellate law issues through meetings, seminars, public service initiatives and more.

A member of the firm’s Bloomfield Hills office, Lavender focuses her appellate practice in the areas of commercial litigation, governmental law, first- and third-party motor vehicle negligence and insurance coverage disputes. She also has litigation experience defending No-Fault and third-party claims, as well as premises liability, pet liability and defamation matters.

Lavender received her law degree from Wayne State University Law School in 2021. Following law school, she worked as a research attorney at the Michigan Court of Appeals. Lavender received her undergraduate degree in 2017 from the University of Michigan.  

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BSP Law congratulates nine of its attorneys who have been recognized by DBusiness on their 2026 Top Lawyers List.  The recognitions are as follows:

Bishop Bartoni – Product Liability
Stephanie Douglas – Appellate Law
Derek Linkous – Appellate Law
William McDonald – Product Liability
Susan McKeever – Appellate Law
Roger Meyers – Litigation – Commercial
Moheeb Murray – Litigation – Commercial
Patrick Seyferth – Product Liability
Justin Weiner – Product Liability

•            •            •

Honigman Partner Alex Parrish has been recognized in Michigan Chronicle’s 2025 Power 50 listing. This recognition honors the region’s most impactful Black leaders across government, business, faith, education, and more.

Parrish regularly advises companies on an array of transactional matters, including capital formation; mergers and acquisitions; joint ventures; the issuance, sale, and regulation of securities; and general corporate matters, including corporate governance.

•            •            •

Brooks Kushman is proud to announce the firm has been ranked in the 2026 edition of the U.S. News and World Report list of “Best Law Firms®” by Best Lawyers®.

Nationally, Brooks Kushman holds a tier-three ranking in Trademark Law. On the regional level, Brooks Kushman holds a tier-two ranking in Copyright Law and tier-one rankings in Intellectual Property Litigation, Patent Litigation, Patent Law, and Trademark Law in Metro Detroit.

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Maddin Hauser is pleased to announce that Anaria Rambus has joined the firm as an associate. Newly admitted to the State Bar of Michigan in 2025, Rambus will support several Maddin Hauser practices.
Rambus brings a foundation in diverse areas of the law, developed through her academic achievements and practical experiences. She earned her law degree at Wayne State University Law School.

A former Maddin Hauser summer associate, Rambus was a student attorney for the law school’s Business and Community Law Clinic. She also served as a judicial extern for U.S. District Court Judges Denise Page Hood and Jonathan J.C. Gray, Eastern District of Michigan.

The word “niche” carries several meanings, from describing a small recess in a wall to referring to a specialized segment of the market.

The word “niche” carries several meanings, from describing a small recess in a wall to referring to a specialized segment of the market. The most powerful meaning, however, is the one that speaks to a sense of purpose, being “best fitted” for something. In this sense, a niche is not just a comer carved out but a place where a person’s skills, passions, and values align in a way that feels natural and sustaining. We often speak of”finding our niche” as if each of us has a single destination waiting to be discovered. However, a life of meaning is not about narrowing toward one fixed point. It is about finding a space that allows us to grow, to give, and to remain true to who we are. Whatever direction we choose, the goal is the same: to bring the best version of ourselves forward and to be “best fitted” for what we take on. 

What It Means to Be “Best Fitted”

Being “best fitted” goes beyond ability. Skills can be learned and refined, but a true niche is about alignment between one’s inner self and outer work. Being “best fitted” is not about landing a perfect job. It is about identifying where what we do is both meaningful to us and valuable to others. It is about making intentional choices about how we spend our time and energy. It is also about aligning our work, commitments, and relationships with our strengths, passions, and values rather than drifting into roles or paths by default. When we are best fitted, we thrive. 

The Cost of Being Misfitted 

Too often, professionals stumble into careers without pausing to ask whether they have found their real fit. They may achieve outward success yet still feel restless or unfulfilled. The cost of being misfitted is subtle but profound. When our work does not align with who we are, it often shows up as restlessness, fatigue, or a nagging sense that something is missing. Success achieved without alignment can feel hollow, leaving us wondering why the milestone we chased did not bring the fulfillment we imagined. Over time, the strain of forcing ourselves into roles that do not fit can erode not only our energy but also our confidence, creativity, and joy.

Discovering Where You Are Best Fitted 

Finding a role, a path, or even a way of living that aligns with our strengths, passions, and values is rarely accidental. It is not a matter of luck or waiting for the perfect opportunity but a process of discovery that unfolds through curiosity, reflection, and experimentation. Often, small, intentional steps are needed to illuminate the path. The following strategies can provide a framework for discovery, turning what might feel like aimless wandering into thoughtful exploration. 

—Reflect on Your Strengths and Passions 

Begin by taking stock of the activities and roles that energize you. Ask yourself: “What do I do well? What comes naturally to me?” These are your strengths. Then ask: “What do I enjoy doing so much that time seems to fly by when doing it? What projects leave me feeling creative and engaged?” These are your passions. The place where your strengths and passions overlap is often the first clue toward a niche that feels authentic and meaningful. 

—Notice Patterns in Feedback 

Next, pay attention to how others respond to your contributions. Colleagues, friends, and clients often notice our gifts before we do. Ask yourself: “Which of my skills or qualities are consistently recognized or appreciated?” External perspectives and feedback can shine a light on strengths we might overlook, helping us see where our natural abilities meet the needs of the world around us. 

—Experiment and Explore 

Finding our niche is rarely a one-step decision or a single choice. It is something we discover through trial, reflection, and adjustment. Be willing to step outside your comfort zone and try new roles, projects, or experiences. Each experience gives you data. Ask yourself: “What energizes me? What drains me? What feels aligned? What feels mismatched?” Each experiment is a chance to test and explore what feels aligned and what does not. 

—Align with Values and Market Needs 

A true niche honors our values and meets real needs. You may have passion and skill in an area, but if there is no demand, it will be difficult to build a career around it. On the other hand, working in an area of high demand that does not align with your values will leave you burned out and unfulfilled. The sweet spot lies where authenticity meets opportunity, when your work reflects who you are and contributes something meaningful. To identify your values, start by considering what matters most to you. If the gap between your values and work is too wide, it might be time to seek a new role, organization, or field that offers a better fit. This can feel risky, but long-term fulfillment often requires the courage to step away, explore, and adjust. 

Finding My Niche 

For years, I felt like I was just moving through life. As a personal injury attorney, I had honed my abilities and achieved success, yet something felt incomplete. I wanted to serve my clients in a deeper, more holistic way, one that went beyond the confines of law. In pursuing that purpose, I explored counseling and yoga, developing new skills and discovering unexpected ways to connect with and serve my clients. 
While some thought I was taking a risky or unconventional path, to me it felt like the only one. In following my passions, I began to understand what it truly meant to be “best fitted.” At first glance, being an attorney, a counselor, and a yoga instructor seem like three very different paths, but for me they share deeper, meaningful connections. In essence, all three roles center on service, guidance, and human connection, using specialized knowledge to help people navigate challenges, grow, and find alignment in their lives. What once felt like separate callings have woven together into a life of purpose, where I discovered my niche of serving others with both skill and heart. 

Be Patient with the Process 

The search for a niche is really the search for ourselves. It is less about finding a fixed destination and more about cultivating awareness of where we are best suited to contribute, grow, and thrive. Whether we wander and explore or hone a particular path, the journey itself teaches us who we are and what matters most. In this way, the pursuit of a niche becomes not just a search for alignment but a practice of presence, reflection, and authenticity. Through small reflections, experiments, and observations, we can gain a clearer understanding of where we are “best fitted,” thereby finding our niche. 

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Sarah E. Kuchon, of Hohauser Kuchon, is the 93rd president of the Oakland County Bar Association.

When you’re going through a divorce or custody battle, you want to ensure that everything is buttoned up and clearly worded with no inconsistencies.

By Marie E. Matyjaszek 

When you’re going through a divorce or custody battle, you want to ensure that everything is buttoned up and clearly worded with no inconsistencies. This can prove difficult when you have to draft the many documents required – mandated forms, settlement agreements, support calculations, and of course the judgment itself. Don’t forget the notice of hearing, proofs of service and throw in a Friend of the Court approval to boot. 

So what happens if something written in one document doesn’t match what is provided for in another? If it concerns support, Michigan Court Rule (MCR) 3.211 has the answer for you.  

In a divorce with minor children, child support must be addressed, even if the monthly support amount is zero. The State Court Administrator’s Office (SCAO) mandates the use of Uniform Support Orders (USOs), which are broken down into two types: Uniform Child Support Orders, or UCSOs, for child support, and Uniform Spousal Support Orders (USSOs) if spousal support is ordered. Both documents must tag along and be entered with the judgment or order.

You would think a quick copy and paste would eliminate any inconsistencies between the order and USO, right? Wrong. The USOs are forms which are vastly different from judgments, with fun boxes to check and grids to fill in carefully with the correct numbers from support guideline printouts. If you mix up the parties or confuse the variety of terms used (plaintiff, defendant, payer, support recipient), things can go downhill quickly.

MCR 3.211 provides that the “Uniform Support Order shall govern if the terms of the judgment or order conflict with the Uniform Support Order.” That means that what is written on the entered USO trumps. If your judgment says dad pays mom $500 a month in child support, but you reverse the names in the UCSO boxes and list mom as the payer and dad as the payee, mom’s paycheck is going to be missing $500 per month, which can have significant financial impact until it is corrected.

When it comes to spousal support, one important detail to ensure is correct on all documents is modifiability. If the judgment provides for spousal support to be non-modifiable and terminate after 5 years, but that is not mentioned on the USSO, nor does it incorporate/merge the judgment’s terms, guess what – spousal support is modifiable because the USO trumps. 

USOs are updated on a fairly regular basis, and the court will only accept the most updated forms for entry, so if you haven’t done a divorce in a while, be certain to check that you are using the current form and that the terms of the order and USO match. When it comes to entered orders, you don’t want to hear the court start singing “one of these things is not like the other.”

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Marie E. Matyjaszek is a judicial attorney at the Washtenaw County Trial Court; however, the views expressed in this column are her own. She can be reached by emailing her at matyjasz@hotmail.com.

Do you want to have greater scheduling flexibility? Do you want to choose your own clients? Do you want to make money for yourself rather than someone else? If you answered any of these questions in the affirmative, then perhaps you want to become a sole practitioner.

By Stuart Collis

Do you want to have greater scheduling flexibility? Do you want to choose your own clients? Do you want to make money for yourself rather than someone else? If you answered any of these questions in the affirmative, then perhaps you want to become a sole practitioner.

As someone who practiced for nearly 19 years on my own, I can attest to the benefits and detriments of being a sole practitioner. There are several things that should be considered, however, before taking the leap.

It is impossible to be a successful sole practitioner unless a lawyer is also a good administrator. In my time as a sole practitioner, I knew that I liked trying cases, loved researching the law, and loved writing briefs. However, what I strongly disliked was running my own accounting, ordering supplies, deciding which internet or phone plan was best for my business, and figuring out which computers, photocopiers, and fax machines were best for me to complete my work. As a sole practitioner, a lawyer needs to be an expert on all these things.

Furthermore, unless a lawyer is entering sole practice with a great deal of start up cash, that lawyer is also going to be their own secretary, bookkeeper, and law clerk. Lawyers can only bill for time spent on a client’s case, which means that as a sole practitioner, a lawyer is spending time working on many non-billable matters.

Then, a lawyer must consider where they are getting clients. If an attorney breaks from a firm, there is no clear guidance under the Michigan Professional Rules of Conduct as to whether the client belongs to the firm or the attorney who serviced the client. Therefore, it is imperative once a lawyer chooses to leave the firm and go solo, that both the lawyer and the law firm discuss the lawyer’s departure with each client that the lawyer services. Each client has the right to decide which lawyer the client wants to handle its affairs. Interfering with the client’s right to choose their own counsel violates MRPC 1.16. For more information regarding changing law firms, a lawyer should consult the State Bar’s article, “Changing Firms: Ethical Responsibilities for Lawyers and Law Firms.” 

Regardless of whether a lawyer is starting from scratch or continuing to service clients from their prior law firm, a sole practitioner will not survive without developing a steady stream of clients. Marketing is essential for a sole practitioner. In this day, one cannot survive without a web presence. So, who is going to build your website, do search engine optimization, or advertise for the sole practitioner? All these things can be costly.

However, there are marketing opportunities that can be done for minimal cost. One easy method is to network. Networking can be accomplished by joining associations, getting involved with the association committees, and going to association events.

Another free marketing opportunity is social media. A lawyer can utilize Facebook, TikTok, and even Reddit. However, if one markets in this way, a lawyer needs to make certain there is compliance with MRPC 7.1 – 7.5.

A law practice can also be built by accepting court appointments. This approach might be time-sensitive and have some minimal costs associated with it, as there may be educational requirements, and the classes required to get on the court-appointed lists may only be offered periodically. On the other hand, this strategy can open up a plethora of new clients (albeit at reduced fees), and other networking opportunities in fields such as criminal misdemeanors, felonies, juvenile law, guardianships and conservatorships, and mental illness cases. It also is a great way to get in front of judges and build a rapport with the court.

One drawback to being a sole practitioner is, what does a sole practitioner do when they have to be in two courts at once? Can you manipulate the cases with the courts that you can be at one court later than the other, or does the lawyer need to spend time trying to get one or the other courts to adjourn the case? What happens if neither court will move the case? Does the sole practitioner know someone whom they trust to handle the case when the sole practitioner cannot? How do you plan vacation time around potential court dates? Remember, if the sole practitioner is not working, there is no money coming into the practice. These are all common problems for a sole practitioner and must be considered before taking the leap into the sole practice world.

Most importantly, lawyers have an ethical duty to our clients that lasts not only beyond their deaths but the lawyer’s own death. All Michigan attorneys in private practice are required to name a person with knowledge of their practice and designate an interim administrator or enroll in the State Bar of Michigan Interim Administrator Program. The purpose of this rule is to allow for the smooth transition of a law practice and its clients when a lawyer resigns, is disbarred, suspended, disappears, is imprisoned, has become disabled or incapacitated, or died. 

I have encountered this situation twice in one year alone where opposing counsels have died and, in one case, had not named anyone to administer the practice. For the protection of the
solo’s clients, transition planning is an essential step in creating a sole practice – knowing who you could trust with your clients when your practice ends.

Becoming a sole practitioner can be extremely rewarding. The ability to leave the office for personal activities is quite enticing. Personally, I made numerous events that I might not have been able to attend if I was working in a large firm. However, being the sole person responsible for every facet of the practice also meant that I worked numerous times past midnight and on weekends without compensation because non-legal things (or even legal things) had to get accomplished.

Therefore, before making the leap, it is important that one considers all the other aspects of sole practice before leaving the comfort of a firm.

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Stuart Collis, of Collis, Griffor & Hendra, is licensed in the states of Michigan, New York, and Illinois. This column is reprinted with permission from the Washtenaw County Bar Association newsletter Res Ipsa Loquitur.

They say that politics makes strange bedfellows but sometimes political divorces can also be bizarre.

By Berl Falbaum

They say that politics makes strange bedfellows but sometimes political divorces can also be bizarre.

We recently experienced a weird political marriage as well as a kooky political divorce both of which, I thought, deserved some examination.

Both cases reminded me of the fictional story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, a story in which the good, respectable Dr. Jekyll, who has evil urges, transforms himself into a villainous Mr. Hyde by drinking a special serum.

First the marriage:

New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, described by Donald Trump as a “communist lunatic,” recently met in the Oval Office with the president whom he called a “fascist, despot and a threat to democracy.” 

Normally you would expect political fireworks with the Secret Service assigning more agents to such a meeting.

But it was all kumbaya, like the two had not seen each other since kindergarten. The only things missing were balloons and party horns. 

“I expect to be helping him, not hurting him,” said the converted Trump. “A big help. The better he does, the happier I am, I just met with a man who’s a very rational person…”

Not to be outdone, Mamdani, who is a democratic socialist, offered: “What I really appreciate about the President is the meeting that we had focused not on places of disagreement, which there are many, and also focused on the shared purpose that we have in serving New Yorkers, And frankly, that is something that could transform the lives of eight and half million people who are currently struggling under a cost-of-living crisis.”

This was so unusual that both the left and the right had trouble digesting this political heresy. Some dyed in the wool MAGAs were apoplectic.

I figured that Mamdani had nothing to lose in meeting with this threat to democracy; indeed, he receives national publicity for “reaching out.”

And, if Trump endorses and meets with him, he wins some acceptability, especially among Republicans.

As to Trump (Mr. Hyde), I concluded he met with Mamdani behind closed doors and promised not to send the National Guard to New York if Mamdani reduces taxes on Trump properties in the city.

Trump is not averse to publicity either nor to changing his mind. He would have no problem blasting Mamdani again — and soon — arguing that the meeting in his office never happened. Dr. Jekyll’s serum works both ways.

Mamdani already opened the door for another Trump turnaround when, a day after his political embrace with Trump, said he still considers the president a fascist and a danger of democracy.

Now to the political divorce:

A female Donald Trump (Mrs. Hyde), U.S. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia) split with the real male Donald Trump.

For five years Greene told us that Trump was the second coming but announced, while taking a few potshots at her former political hero, that she would resign from Congress in January.

Specifically, she did not like Trump blocking the release of the Epstein Files (before changing his mind) and he was not pursuing “America First” policies.

In her about-face, Greene, who once compared Trump not only to Jesus but also Nelson Mandela, must have taken more than one portion of Dr. Jekyll’s serum to convert from the Hyde personality.

She actually makes some remarkable observations in her four-page resignation statement.  While President Eisenhower, when leaving office in 1961, condemned the military-industrial complex, Greene warned us against the political industrial complex of both parties, stating, “…election cycle by election cycle, in order to elect whichever side can convince Americans to hate the other side more.”

Or this: “Many common Americans are no longer easily convinced by paid political propaganda spokespersons and consultants on TV and paid shills on social medial obediently serving with cult-like conviction to force others to swallow the political party talking points.”

In her statement, she said she favors term limits in the House and does not “think Congress should be a lifelong career or an assisted living facility.”

Trump, who thought Greene was the third coming (after him), wasted no time and called her a “traitor.”  A few days earlier, he would have used that word to characterize Mamdani.

If that were not enough, then she posted the following on X:

“Everyone just runs their mouths but results are the only thing that matter to the American people. Smears, lies, attacks, and name calling is childish behavior, divisive, and bad for our country. Memes and red meat rants do nothing. Actions speak louder than words.

“Be quiet, be kind, be humble and fix the real problems that are crushing Americans. Not foreign country’s problems. Not the donor’s problems. The American people’s problems that both political parties created and dumped on the American people.”

She did not mention you-know-who by name. But to write that she had to gorge on Dr. Jekyll’s potion. Talk about a “road to Damascus” moment.

Even Robert Louis Stevenson who wrote “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” would have argued that his story is much more believable than the Trump-Mamdani-Greene saga.

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Berl Falbaum is a veteran journalist and author of 12 books.

In a recent column, I wrote that it was time to recite the last rites for the Earth as a habitable planet for humans and the animal kingdom.

By Berl Falbaum

In a recent column, I wrote that it was time to recite the last rites for the Earth as a habitable planet for humans and the animal kingdom.

I did not address dozens of insoluble environment issues but focused exclusively on global warming, pointing out that the goal of world powers is to keep temperatures below 1.5° Celsius (2.7° Fahrenheit) which is 0.4 higher than the increase in temperatures we already have experienced since the pre-industrial era (about the mid-1800s).

If we are burning up now — and we are — then, obviously, any increase will be even more devastating.

Given this scenario, I followed closely the 30th international summit meeting on the environment known as COP30 (the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change), which met in Belém, the capital in the state of Pará in northern Brazil, the gateway to the Amazon rainforest. The 11-day conference closed November 21.

Sadly, after every previous summit, the environment on the planet continued to deteriorate, despite all the dire warnings from numerous world leaders, including U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres, who has cited a “code red” alarm for the Earth numerous times.

Well, COP30 proved to be no different. Overall, it was business — no meaningful business — as usual: Lot of speeches, “negotiations,” “promises,” but few, if any, definitive actions that will save the planet.

The most drastic flaw in the final agreement reached by some 200 countries participating was no mention of working toward a reduction in fossil fuels which account for 90 percent of CO2 emissions and are a major culprit in destroying the Earth.

Early in the meeting, a draft text included a resolution calling for “phasing out fossil fuels,” but pressure from Saudi Arabia, India, Russia and China, forced that wording to be deleted. (Worth noting: For the first time in 30 years, the U.S., the world’s second worst emitter of CO2 behind China, did not attend the meeting.) 

Consider, this was just a nonbinding resolution, not a specific plan with timetables and financing. If simple words in a resolution cannot be accepted, how can we expect the world to ever launch a serious attack on the poisons killing the Earth?

“Under no circumstances are we going to accept this,” European Union (EU) Commissioner for Climate Wopke Hoekstra said in a statement before the final vote on the agreement.

The EU indicated it could “move beyond its comfort zone” on finance for developing nations, but only if proposals to cut planet-warming emissions were enacted. It was not to be despite the strenuous objections of 80 countries.

“These negotiations keep hitting a wall because wealthy nations profiting off polluting fossil fuels fail to offer the needed financial support to developing countries and any meaningful commitment to move first,” said Jean Su, energy justice director at the Center for Biological Diversity.

“…[T]his is the COP of truth,” said Daniela Durán González, a Colombian diplomat. “The truth cannot support an outcome that ignores the science.”

Added Ilan Zugman, Latin American and Caribbean director for 350.org, an environmental group: “The lack of concrete commitments in the final text of COP30 shows us who is still benefiting from the delay: the fossil fuel industry and the ultrarich, not those living the climate crisis every day,” 

As I stated in the previous column, the politics and economics are too difficult to overcome.

COP30 officials touted achievements in increasing proposed — focus on “proposed” — financial aid to developing countries, totaling some $1 trillion, and several other initiatives to save forests and increase the use of clean energy.

But $1 trillion is just the proverbial drop in the bucket to what is actually needed and there is no guarantee that “rich” countries follow up on this obligation.  

The agreed-upon deal does specify where the money would come from — wealthy nations themselves, banks or the private sector.

(An anti-deforestation initiative, the Tropical Forests Forever Facility, sought to raise $25 billion in public financing that would help countries protect forests. The result: the program received around $5 billion in pledges from small countries including Norway, Indonesia and France. Germany said it would “soon” contribute some funds.)

Most important, commitment to the agreement is not compulsory; there is no punishment for those who ignore the agreement they signed.  It is all voluntary. We cannot be confident that any of the initiatives will be implemented. And if COP history tells us anything, it is we cannot expect any change of heart from anywhere in the world.

Too ironic to ignore: A major fire broke out on the grounds of the conference held at the doorstep of the Amazon Forest which is considered the “lungs of the planet” because it absorbs CO2. Despite the obvious symbolism, the delegates also failed to adopt measures to protect the forest.

“The venue bursting into flames couldn’t be a more apt metaphor for COP30’s catastrophic failure to take concrete action to implement a funded and fair fossil fuel phaseout,” said Su. 

COP 31 — the next Conference of Procrastination — will be held a year from now in Antalya, Turkey.
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Berl Falbaum is a veteran journalist and author of 12 books.