For two months, we have been obsessed with the SNC Lavalin Crisis. But, Thomas Walkom writes that we've been focused on the wrong crisis:
The climate apocalypse is fast approaching. That’s the word from federal government scientists who Monday issued an alarming report on climate change in Canada.
They say that even in the unlikely event that the world meets its global carbon emission targets Canada is at high risk of extreme temperatures, drought and flooding.
The evidence keeps piling up, and our political leaders keep ignoring it. Justin Trudeau's carbon tax isn't enough to change the climate trajectory. But, with the exception of Elizabeth May, the other party leaders offer nothing:
The opposition Conservatives, joined by like-minded governments in Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and New Brunswick, attack Justin Trudeau’s Liberals for imposing a carbon tax to deal with the global warming problem.
But they offer nothing plausible in its stead. Ontario Premier Doug Ford argues that he doesn’t need to do anything to reduce carbon emissions — that the decision of a previous government to shut down the province’s coal-fired electricity generating plants was sufficient.
Federal Conservative leader Andrew Scheer, another vociferous critic of carbon taxes, says he’ll come up with ideas of his own — eventually.
If the Tories were serious about climate change, they wouldn’t criticize Trudeau for doing too much. They would attack him for doing too little.
By the federal government’s own reckoning, it is not on course to meet even the minimalist carbon emission targets it agreed to in Paris in 2015.
Wilson-Raybould has provided us with a bizarre distraction:
I say bizarre because ultimately, this is a story in which nothing much happened.
Last fall, Wilson-Raybould was pressed by those around the prime minister to consider offering a form of plea bargain to SNC-Lavalin, a Quebec engineering firm under indictment for bribery. She demurred and eventually was shifted to another portfolio before quitting cabinet entirely.
But SNC-Lavalin still faces criminal charges and remains without a plea bargain.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, climate change rolls along. The federal report predicts that if carbon emission growth continues unabated, sea levels on the east coast will rise by as much as one metre. In the St. Lawrence basin, water levels are predicted to rise half a metre.
Under the same scenario, the scientists report with medium confidence that, by 2100, periods of drought will become more frequent in the Prairies and the British Columbia interior.
It's an old saw, but it's true. As our forests burn, we can't see the forest for the trees.
Image: Hazlitt
4 comments:
I would ague, Owen, that even if there hadn't been so much distraction thanks to the SNC-Lavlin scandal, we would still be ignoring the ever-widening grip of climate change on our live. We seem desperate to pretend that things can go along as they always have. We will probably act astonished once climate change exacts its toll in our own silos, and then rail against politicians who failed to do anything about it. As always, we are our own worst enemy.
There was a reason, Lorne, why Mark Twain called us "the damn'd human race."
B.C. started fire season the week before last. The State of Washington's goal this year was to have all their forest fire fighters in place and trained by Feb. By last week there had been 5 forest/grass fires. Its dry in B.C. We living on Vancouver Island were not only thought of as the west coast, the left coast and the wet coast. today it rained for the first time in 3 weeks, but not enough to make a difference. Even if the weather is lousy, there isn't the rain we used to have. The large cedar trees in our semi rural yard, have been "stressed" for 3 years due to a lack of water. The small bridge I drive over in our area, the river under, is not as high as other years. We don't have the snow pack we did in other years.
if we do not deal with climate change we will pay for it in bigger and longer forest fires in B.C. Longer winters and more floods in other areas. Insurance companies won't cover some areas or reduce pay outs. Governments will become financial strapped because of continued monies needed for forest fires, floods, and storm recover. Electrical companies will increase their rates to keep up with repairs. once crops no longer grow, farmers and every one will have a problem. Just look at Nebraska where even the military had to move 1/3 of its 10k work force to higher ground because of flooding.
Trudeau has made a good start. We the public need to accept that more needs to be done. having watched climate/weather I worry for my friend's grandchildren and the life they will live.
What is going on in other countries where we see mass starvation due to climate change, pay attention. Its coming to a country you live in. Between the wars and climate change, expect to see 10s of millions of people on the move. Do not expect the Conservatives to do anything to slow down climate change. If a political party isn't into carbon pricing, reducing plastic, reducing pollution they're into killing you slowly. So when we vote, think about that.
You're quite correct Owen, the other stuff is just deflection keeping people's attention of the real issue, climate change. If you're dead because of climate change, not much else matters.
The bottom line is that it's going to get worse, e.a.f. -- and doing something about it is going to cost money.
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