IB次元官网网址檝e often thought politicians inhabit a parallel universe. Maybe itB次元官网网址檚 just widespread cognitive dissonance, coupled with a lack of imagination, that compels them to engage in so much contradictory behaviour. Trying to appease so many varying interests isnB次元官网网址檛 easy.
Rather than focusing on short-term economic and corporate priorities, though, politicians should first consider the long-term health and well-being of the people theyB次元官网网址檙e elected to represent. When it comes to climate change and fossil fuels, many arenB次元官网网址檛 living up to that.
We celebrate the federal governmentB次元官网网址檚 decision to implement nation-wide carbon pricing, even though whatB次元官网网址檚 proposed wonB次元官网网址檛, without additional measures like regulations, get us to our commitments under the 2015 Paris Agreement, which is also inadequate for keeping global warming from catastrophic levels.
Its difficult to take a government seriously when it approves or supports expanding fossil fuel infrastructure and development while the world continues to break warming records. A massive B.C. B次元官网网址渃arbon bombB次元官网网址� LNG project in the midst of critical salmon-rearing territory. Likely approval of at least one more bitumen pipeline to support expanded oil sands development. A provincial government that pretty much says, B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檒l support federal efforts to fight climate change if you support our efforts to fuel it.B次元官网网址�
None of this makes sense.
A report from non-profit Oil Change International and 14 other groups concludes, B次元官网网址淭he potential carbon emissions from the oil, gas, and coal in the worldB次元官网网址檚 currently operating fields and mines would take us beyond 2 C of warming,B次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址淭he reserves in currently operating oil and gas fields alone, even with no coal, would take the world beyond 1.5 C.B次元官网网址�
That leaves us with three choices: managed decline, stranded assets or climate chaos.
The first, which the report recommends, means no new fossil fuel infrastructure, existing supplies become depleted and replaced with clean alternatives and employees redeployed to latter. As the reportB次元官网网址檚 authors point out, B次元官网网址淭his does not mean stopping using all fossil fuels overnight. Governments and companies should conduct a managed decline of the fossil fuel industry and ensure a just transition for the workers and communities that depend on it.B次元官网网址�
Stranded assets means, B次元官网网址淐ompanies continue to develop new fields and mines, governments are eventually successful in restricting emissions, and the resulting reduction in demand causes many extraction assets to become uneconomic and shut down, causing destruction of capital and large job losses.B次元官网网址�
Under the third scenario, we keep digging, mining, fracking, building, transporting, selling and burning until weB次元官网网址檙e well beyond the 2 C threshold, resulting in B次元官网网址渆conomic and human catastrophe.B次元官网网址�
Sadly, in Canada and globally, weB次元官网网址檝e chosen the second option, and in some cases, the third. Subsidies to the fossil fuel industry, the most profitable industry ever, continue despite a 2009 G20 commitment to phase them out. Canada promotes the industry to the tune of about $3.3 billion a year in tax breaks and handouts, not including provincial incentives.
Politicians say they care about climate while arguing we need more bitumen, natural gas and coal to fuel growing economies and human populations, and more pipelines to get B次元官网网址減roductB次元官网网址� to tidewater and overseas markets. Saskatchewan has CanadaB次元官网网址檚 best wind and solar resources, but the government focuses on expensive and unreliable schemes like carbon capture and storage while arguing against carbon pricing and other tools to cut emissions.
Conserving energy, shifting to cleaner sources, reducing vehicle use by improving transit, bike and pedestrian infrastructure, protecting and restoring carbon sinks such as forests and wetlands, and getting a handle on agricultural emissions are possible and would create numerous jobs and economic opportunities.
Most governments have committed to the Paris AgreementB次元官网网址檚 goal of limiting global warming to 2 C above pre-industrial levels, with an aspirational goal of 1.5 C. WeB次元官网网址檙e already nearing the latter, with growing consequences, including increasing extreme weather events, water and food shortages, migration crises and extinctions. We must conserve energy, quickly phase out coal power and continue to develop renewable resources.
As Oil Change International says, B次元官网网址淚f youB次元官网网址檙e in a hole, stop digging.B次元官网网址�
