Rick Stiebel/B次元官网网址 Gazette staff
A letter from the District of Highlands to fossil fuel giants holding them accountable for the cost of climate change has earned instantaneous accolades from West Coast Environmental Law.
A letter of praise from West Coast Environmental Law B次元官网网址� released the same day the Highlands sent its letter B次元官网网址� was in response to a climate accountability letter the Highlands sent to 20 of the worldB次元官网网址檚 fossil fuel companies earlier this month.
Highlands Mayor Ken Williams said the need to address the harm caused by fossil fuel is long overdue. B次元官网网址淲hen you consider the forest fires and floods weB次元官网网址檝e had in the province this year, itB次元官网网址檚 hard not to make the connection,B次元官网网址� Williams said. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e feeling enormous effects. We need to raise awareness, the conversation needs to take place. More and more people are paying attention. Steps need to be taken to address this.B次元官网网址�
The letter seeks fair compensation from the companies for climate costs associated with preparing for wildfires, droughts and other climate change impacts.
The letter states, in part, that B次元官网网址渨e expect your industry to take cradle to grave responsibility for your product - and that starts by taking responsibility for its effects in the atmosphere and the resulting harm to communities.B次元官网网址�
Williams is urging other municipalities to give serious thought to the situation and take steps to pressure the oil companies. B次元官网网址淥il companies already realize carbon is a liability,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭he fact theyB次元官网网址檙e looking at ways to take carbon out of the atmosphere shows that.B次元官网网址�
With regards to a carbon tax, Williams pointed out that the Canadian government subsidizes the oil companies to the tune of $3.3 billion a year. B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 like the anti-carbon tax,B次元官网网址� he added.
Andrew Gage, staff counsel for West Coast Environmental Law, said in a statement that fossil fuel pollution caused by these companiesB次元官网网址� products presently represents about 30 per cent of human-caused gasses in the worldB次元官网网址檚 atmosphere.
B次元官网网址淓veryone should be concerned by the rising tide of climate change facing our communities, from flooding to wildfires, we canB次元官网网址檛 just assume that taxpayers will always pay B次元官网网址� As long as the fossil fuel industry believes that taxpayers, and not their shareholders, will pay the costs of fossil fuel pollution, they have no incentive to move toward a sustainable future.B次元官网网址�
Gage said he believed the letter from the Highlands was the first of its kind B次元官网网址渁nywhere in the worldB次元官网网址� and urged communities everywhere to follow the DistrictB次元官网网址檚 lead.
The Highlands letter was in response to a request in January from 55 organizations across the province that asked all of B.C.B次元官网网址檚 local governments to consider a joint class action against fossil fuel companies for a portion of their climate costs.
