In the last century, the western democracies countered the existential threats of Nazi aggression and mounting concern about the nuclear arms race by powerful governmental action.
Action in crisis
Some call climate change a crisis like none we've ever faced and one that calls for a dramatic shift in the way we live our lives. Seth Klein says it's time to throw ourselves fully into battle against climate change.
Klein is the author of a new book called A Good War: Mobilizing Canada for the Climate Emergency.
During the Second World War, Canadian citizens and government remade the economy by retooling factories, transforming their workforce, and making the war effort a common cause for all Canadians to contribute to. Klein demonstrates how wartime thinking and community efforts can be repurposed today for Canada's own Green New Deal.1Tzeporah Berman, adjunct professor at York University, chair of the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative and the international program director at Stand.Earth, comments that with COVID-19, fossil fuel majors are lobbying hard for bailouts, investors are desperate to salvage capital while workers and fossil-fuel dependent communities are often being left behind. A team of climate, policy and legal experts from around the world is proposing a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty to be developed along with a strengthened Paris accord.
Don’t add to the problem (non-proliferation). End new exploration and expansion into new reserves.
Get rid of the existing threat (global disarmament). Phase out existing stockpiles and production in line with 1.5°C.
Accelerate an equitable transition (peaceful use).2
Action to address the climate emergency may be successful when a war time policy is applied to mobilizing the country to train, work and transform the under government sponsorship with clear cut objectives like those proposed in the idea of a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty.
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