A scientist, people living along the Trans Mountain pipeline, and a social economic think tank have some opinions to share on the threats to the Canadian economy, world ecosystem, and future employment as we near the fall 2019 federal election.
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| Our conversion to care for the planet |
Gerald Kutney, Ph.D. in chemistry, and author on climate change addresses conservative Canadians noting that Doug Ford and Andrew Scheer seem oblivious to the climate emergency threat. Canada had already responded to the issue of climate change by placing a price on carbon, endorsed by Nobel-prize-winning economist Patricia Espinosa.
The younger generation also recognizes the urgency of climate change, as witnessed by the youth movement under the hashtag #FridayForFutures, inspired by 16-year-old Swedish activist Greta Thuneberg. A student in the large turnout in Montreal, Maria Burgos, declared that: "The politicians, the older generation, they can pass this off on us. We won't stand here and do the same for our children and grandchildren."
The science of climate change, as with all science, is apolitical, by definition. Yet, climate change has become mired in a political battle royale. Conservative politicians seem oblivious to this threat or are willing to put politics ahead of people and the planet. We are but several months away from the election, and Andrew Scheer still has no plan to address climate change.1
Anna Maria Tremonti of CBC The Current recently travelled the 1,150 km route of the Trans Mountain pipeline, to meet the people whose lives have become tangled up in the debate about its expansion. She presents a documentary that shares viewpoints from many sides of the debate. Susan Delacourt analyses the apparent “no middle ground” on this issue by identifying the short time frame of an election and what the public normally thinks is a long term timeframe for caring for the environment.
Anna Maria Tremonti recently travelled the 1,150 km route of the Trans Mountain pipeline, to meet the people whose lives have become tangled up in the debate about its expansion.The federal government is expected to make a final decision about the Trans Mountain pipeline by next Tuesday. Our national affairs panel discusses how pipeline politics, and competing climate change strategies, will be major issues in this year's federal election. In the final half hour of the program Susan Delacourt comments on no middle ground in this debate Mia Rabson notes that people are not backing the climate science because we don’t like to change what we are doing. Susan Delacourt observes that politics is short term business and environment is perceived to be a long term thing. Recent events remind us of the 11 years the IPCC has given for us to act. 2
Brendan Haley reports that the history of the original “New Deal” teaches us that guaranteeing economic and social security can be part of a political bargain that enables the take-off of green energy technologies.
Today, green energy innovation has progressed at an impressive pace. The price of renewable energy technologies has decreased dramatically, and some predict that the cost of owning an electric car will be on par with a gasoline counterpart by 2022. Yet, politicians and vested interests are aggressively exploiting economic insecurities over jobs and affordability. The history of the original “New Deal” teaches us that guaranteeing economic and social security can be part of a political bargain that enables the take-off of green energy technologies.
However, the new “New Deal” has to devise social and economic security arrangements that fit with the green technologies we want to promote, and the insecurities faced today. This calls for imagining a new suite of social welfare initiatives that accelerate green transitions and change the political conversation.3
In discussing, on CBC Mainstreet Nova Scotia, his new book “Falter”, a powerful and sobering call to arms, to save not only our planet but also our humanity itself, Bill McGibbon urges government to address the need to provide employment to those people who lose jobs during the transition to a low carbon emission world.
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| Some conservative climate principles |
In the medium term, the alternate energy industry is expected to increase from the approximately 300,000 Canadians who are currently working in the field.
References
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(2019, March 27). Dear Conservatives, Climate Change Is The Real Threat, Not A .... Retrieved June 8, 2019, from https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/gerald-kutney/conservatives-climate-change-carbon-tax_a_23696033/
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(2019, June 12). The Current for June 12, 2019 | CBC Radio - CBC.ca. Retrieved June 12, 2019, from https://www.cbc.ca/radio/thecurrent/the-current-for-june-12-2019-1.5171049
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3
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(2019, June 11). Blog | Broadbent Institute. Retrieved June 12, 2019, from https://www.broadbentinstitute.ca/blog
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