A dinosaur in Sharm el-Sheikh: A history of a climatic dystopia

For example, this Sunday, a dinosaur appeared in Sharm el-Sheikh. Her name is Frankie and she is a spokesperson for a project to raise awareness of the risks of the climate crisis. Animal (velociraptor, tyrannosaurus and genetic deviation Hollywood) took the floor to warn of the need to take more drastic measures to deal with the environmental emergency. The dinosaur convincingly explained that its Jurassic fellows had no chance to save themselves from the impact of the meteorite, but that humanity still had time to avoid ecological catastrophe. “choosing to disappear‘, Frankie cried in front of a crowd that had gathered to hear his words.

Frankie isn’t the only dinosaur seen in Sharm el-Sheikh this Sunday. At the southern end of the metropolis, just at the end of one of the huge asphalt lines connecting one of the city’s many tourist arteries to the beach, there is a rustic building. example of diplodocus He also displayed his long neck among the palm trees. In this case, the animal is one of the attractions. tourist resorts in the area. In his living space, he is accompanied by a Shrek of dubious origin, a Santa who shoots the reindeer almost 30 degrees in the shade, and a Santa Claus. plastic sunbeds and umbrellas.

This diplomat-only resort has more than twenty swimming pools, several water slides and endless fountains, and attractions more typical of a water park than a residential area in the middle of the desert. In fact, the painting looks almost like a mirage. where is the continent drought reaches extreme levels. Yes, in order not to detract too much from reality, there are posters in the toilets of the enclosure reminding tourists of the importance of ‘turn off the tap to avoid wasting water“The sight of dozens of artificial ponds will not make us forget that water risks becoming a scarce resource as the climate crisis progresses.

asphalt city

The habitat of these dinosaurs comes from another era. And this, Sharm el-Sheikh city model It is far from urban ideals designed to mitigate the impact of the climate crisis. Just as the world debates the virtues of the superblocks of Barcelona or the fifteen-minute city of Paris, the Egyptian metropolis represents the opposite paradigm. The city rises like one tourist resort in the desert interconnected old city centers that now seem impoverished places infrastructures and luxury hotels created for tourists. Apart from the posters announcing the celebration of the climate summit, nothing seems to indicate that the Egyptian metropolis is adapting to the climatic reality.

Sharm El Sheikh is one of them. cities created to go by car. Getting from one point to another without resorting to a wheeled vehicle is quite complex. Streets are endless lines of asphalt. In many cases, without not even sidewalks or pedestrian paths to accompany a pedestrian’s possible path. Also, there are no zebra crossings. Nor any type of shade that soothes almost thirty degrees this will show the thermometer in mid-November. a city stretching forcefully along the coast distances are almost incomprehensible. In fact, walking around town currently trying to spell the end of fossil fuels, almost mandatory to draw gas.

‘Every man for himself’

Dinosaurs aren’t the only creatures roaming Sharm el-Sheikh this week. These days, on the occasion of the summit, the city of Egypt welcomes it. crowd of diplomats, scientists, activists and journalistsand among other examples of different origins who traveled from all corners of the world to take part in this event. The meeting will almost be hosted, according to preliminary reports from the organization. 34,000 people. In just the first few days, the city’s airport is estimated to receive thousands of flights and More than 400 private jets It is full of participants in the discussion about the future of the planet suffocated by greenhouse gas emissions.

According to the first participants of the event, the first week of the summit, it was more shocking than usual. For example, in the early days, the restaurants and supermarkets of the venue that hosted the convention sold out their reservations ahead of time. There was no food or water for everyone.. And in the afternoon, a every man for himself. “It was almost like a simulation of what it would be like to live on a rapidly warming planet where resources are scarce,” the chroniclers write. ed kingOne of the informative references of climate summits.

Sharm el-Sheikh after the first seven days of negotiations facing the last week of this debate. The final part of some important conversations for the future of the planet. Over the next few days, the city of Egypt will try to agree on how to accelerate greenhouse gas cuts or who will pay for the loss and damage caused by the climate crisis in the poorest countries. World. All these discussions, which can be a before and after in the fight against the climate crisis, are only one week to complete to something real. And they have to do it in a city that today shows all the facets of a climatic dystopia.