The summer of 2023 has brought frequent and disastrous climate events that threaten life and property in Canada.
Marsha Lederman, Globe and Mail Staff Columnist, reflects on recent climate events and concludes despair alone is not an option.
It can feel futile – I get it. But despair alone is not an option. Accompany it with debate, protest, action. Invest and shop ethically (if you can), ride your bike to work (if it’s not too hot), eat more sustainably, argue with that climate-change denier at the family barbecue. The time to swelter in silence is over. (Lederman et al., n.d.)
Brenna Walsh, Senior Energy Coordinator at the Ecology Action Centre, comments: “Here in Nova Scotia wildfires and floods this summer have destroyed homes, displaced hundreds of people and taken lives, and has brought the challenges of living in a climate emergency to light for many people,”
“In Nova Scotia, we have one of the dirtiest grids in the country – 43 per cent of emissions come from electricity, compared to the national average of nine per cent. Although progress has been made in committing to get off coal by 2030, we have a long way to go to get to net zero for the electricity grid, but it is possible.”
The Clean Electricity Regulation helps ensure that Nova Scotia is taking advantage of wind and solar – now the cheapest form of electricity ever – and disincentivizes turning on expensive fossil fuel assets during times of peak demand. Bringing projects like the Atlantic Loop online support this by allowing trade with Quebec, providing access to their hydro power when Nova Scotia would have to turn on polluting peaker plants and allowing Nova Scotia to sell wind and solar back when it has extra. This can help drive cost effective decarbonization of our grid, reduce rate increases and protect Nova Scotians from the volatile prices of fossil fuels. (Clean Electricity Regulation Important to Green Nova Scotia’s Grid, 2023)
Stephen Thomas, Clean Energy Manager, David Suzuki Foundation, said “The wildfires, floods and droughts we’re seeing across Canada this year are unprecedented in their costs to our people, land and economy. They are an urgent reminder that we need to move away from the root cause of this climate crisis: fossil fuels.
“We know there is broad support for a zero-emissions future in Canada. More than 40,000 people signed petitions calling for the end to fossil fuels, and for renewable power for all.
“It’s not just an environmental argument to move away from fossil fuels. Wind and solar are the cheapest forms of electricity in history, while fossil fuel prices are increasingly volatile and costly. We will all see the benefits on our energy bills of a grid powered by renewables.”(Thomas, n.d.)
The clean electricity regulations of the Government of Canada set a direction for electricity generation and distribution that will reduce the GHG emissions of fossil fuel generation, create opportunities for the electrical transition workforce, and mitigate future effects of climate on floods, fires, and wind.
References
Clean Electricity Regulation important to green Nova Scotia’s grid. (2023, August 10). Ecology Action Centre. Retrieved August 11, 2023, from https://ecologyaction.ca/resources-media/press-releases/clean-electricity-regulation-important-green-nova-scotias-grid
Lederman, M., Picard, A., & McLister, R. (n.d.). Opinion: This summer of our climate discontent should drive us to action. The Globe and Mail. Retrieved July 21, 2023, from https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-this-summer-of-our-climate-discontent-should-drive-us-to-action/?utm_medium=Referrer:+Social+Network+/+Media&utm_campaign=Shared+Web+Article+Links
Thomas, S. (n.d.). David Suzuki Foundation comments on clean electricity regulations. David Suzuki Foundation: Home. Retrieved August 11, 2023, from https://davidsuzuki.org/press/david-suzuki-foundation-comments-on-clean-electricity-regulations/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=tweet-link&utm_campaign=cleanElectricity-governmentDraftCleanElectricityRegulationsAnnouncement-10aug2023
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