Keep climate a national priority
Politicians today are gambling with the future of the global population. Science clearly describes the seriousness of our current climate crisis, but much of it is ignored in favour of advice from the fossil fuel industry and the Trump government. The main objective of Canada’s 2020 climate plan was to reduce carbon emissions, but it contradicts itself with continuing favour toward fossil fuels. Planned revisions by the new Liberal government may change this for the better, if they survive the upcoming election.
However, the odds are against an effective climate change policy under a Conservative government, with many of their members being climate denialists. Pierre Poilievre has voted over 400 times against any actions that might help mitigate climate change. These included proposed measures to hold mining companies accountable for environmental damage and any actions that would have moved Canada closer to its climate targets while creating high-quality jobs in low-carbon industries nationwide. Electing Conservatives is a gamble with humanity’s future, with far bigger stakes than personal gambling.
By contrast, the Liberal plan to attack climate change includes new incentives to decarbonize our energy sources. Being locked in a tariff battle with the US, Canada should also redirect fossil fuel subsidies toward industry development of renewable clean energy at small scales and support for EVs that would assist our auto industry, while also cooperating with provinces to build a much-needed west-east electricity grid.
Greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels are the cause of the increased frequency of severe storms, flooding, heat stroke, droughts, wildfires, water shortages and water-borne diseases. Moreover, poisonous air pollutants from the same fossil fuels cause increased cancers, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and far more serious cardiovascular disease and asthma, especially among very young children and seniors.
All Canadians are faced with more serious, complex health problems, a lot of personal suffering, increasing costs of healthcare, more limited opportunities, loss of productivity and an uncertain future. This also costs the economy many billions of dollars and is driving up insurance costs.
Failure to recognize the disastrous climate changes occurring globally is a high-stakes gamble for everyone’s future, even the very survival of our species. Besides climate change, we are faced with a polycrisis — that is, multiple, interconnected crises that converge with and amplify each other. These include microplastics, biodiversity losses, land and resource use emergencies, not to mention the increasing instability of our essential democratic governance structures and processes upon which we’ve relied and benefited from for so long. These crises are costly, widely destructive and not easily corrected.
Global risks to mankind have grown under the deliberate removal of climate mitigation measures by US President Donald Trump’s government, as well as destructive tariffs applied to most nations, especially Canada, their traditional best ally. And Conservatives, following the Republican model in the US, have offered empty and erroneous slogans on the climate crisis, with no thought given to essential mitigation or adaptation matters.
Given the political situations now unfolding in many countries, with rising tendencies toward fascist governments, this ‘gambling problem’ can only become more serious. It is folly to think that we are in control of the polycrisis or that we can always "ride it all out" and "roll the dice again" — and magically, all will be okay in the end. It won’t be. We need to realize that the chance of winning anything in the climate denial game with far-right-wing governments is vanishingly small. Our choice in the election may be one of the biggest gambles we’ll ever face.
These are our gambling problems, and the human race is collectively in denial. Some shouted out: “Crisis? There’s no crisis!” However, as things really begin to go south, none of us can blame it on someone or something else. Humans are all in the same boat, and we are 100 per cent responsible for how this plays out.
Richard van der Jagt is adjunct professor of medicine with the University of Ottawa and a member of the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment. Geoff Strong is an atmospheric scientist and past chair of the Canadian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society.
Comments
Pretty much nailed if fellows!
Thanks!!!
"We need to realize that the chance of winning anything in the climate denial game with far-right-wing governments is vanishingly small."
In fact, climate denial from centre-left petro-progressive governments like the Trudeau/Carney Liberals and provincial NDP is just as bad or worse because it is more insidious. Harder to identify and challenge.
As the authors attest:
"The main objective of Canada’s 2020 climate plan was to reduce carbon emissions, but it contradicts itself with continuing favour toward fossil fuels."
It is not enough to keep Poilievre out of office. We have to address the real issue. Our centre-left petro-progressive governments are leading us over the climate cliff. Conservative assistance not required.
The Liberals have been in power for ten years. Shall we allow them another years ten of climate failure?
This is a very telling photograph of a vain, small man. In Canada, "The Honourable" is used in the House. Outside of the House, it can be used before the names of certain individuals, primarily those holding or having held specific government positions such as current and former premiers, cabinet ministers, and speakers of legislative assemblies. It does not belong on the backdrop, nor at the bottom of letters or e-mails sent by an MP.