An Emergency Response is Needed

The latest report from the IPCC indicates that imminent action to address the climate crisis will be required by the Canadian government after the September 2021 election. Seth Klein, an adjunct professor with Simon Fraser University’s urban studies program and the former BC director of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, reviews his markers to know some signs one would expect to see when a government shifts to a wartime footing to attack the climate crisis

 

  (His book A Good War: Mobilizing Canada for the Climate Emergency (ECW Press) was published in September 2020.)

 

So here we sit, facing down the climate emergency, with a B.C. government climate plan that is zero for four when it comes to a convincing emergency response. There are things this provincial government is doing with respect to social and economic justice, housing and homelessness, and tax fairness for which I am grateful. The advancements with respect to child care are especially noteworthy. But the future of those children is now under threat. Decisive action is needed to protect them, as well as other vulnerable populations who are more likely to experience the worst ravages of the climate crisis. The Horgan government needs to hear a resounding wake-up call: Reboot your climate plan and transform it into a real emergency plan. Invite us to join in a grand societal undertaking, one that leaves no one behind and banishes unemployment as we undertake this task of our lives.1

1. Adopt an emergency mindset.

2. Shift from voluntary measures to mandatory policies. 

3. Rally the public at every turn.

4. Create the economic institutions needed to get the job done. 

5. Spend what it takes to win.

6. Stop trying to appease those who seek to block necessary action.1

 

The Climate Emergency Unit believe it is time for Canada to enter true #ClimateEmergency mode. They have produced a new video ( https://youtu.be/XUJw5cLyfEk ) to show what that would look like.

We all know that climate change is real and we need to dramatically reduce our greenhouse gases as soon as possible, but Canada's emissions have only stagnated since the world agreed to work together on this climate emergency. Using these lessons from WW2, we can envision what true climate action looks like.2

 

Our ballot box decision will be influenced by the need for the next government to act forcefully in the war against the GHG emissions increasing the temperature of the planet.

 

References

1	(2021, July 19). BC is in a state of climate emergency with no emergency plan. Retrieved August 24, 2021, from https://www.nationalobserver.com/2021/07/19/opinion/bc-climate-emergency-no-plan
2	(2021, June 23). 4 Hopeful Lessons from WW2 to Confront Climate Change - YouTube. Retrieved August 24, 2021, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUJw5cLyfEk

Skilled Employment to Meet Net Zero Goals

 Research by the International Energy Agency and action to train thousands of energy efficiency experts in Canada indicate commitment to mitigation of the effects of the climate emergency.

Solar electrical skills needed

 

Emma Grane, energy reporter for the Globe and Mail, writes about a new report from the International Energy Agency that declares investment in any new oil and gas developments must stop immediately, electricity should be 90 per cent renewable by 2050 and governments must “close the gap between rhetoric and action” if the world is to meet its goal of net-zero emissions and limit the worst impacts of climate change.

 

It recommends no investment in new fossil fuel supply projects or coal plants without carbon-reduction technology, starting today. By 2030, it says, solar and wind should be scaling up at four times the speed they did in 2020, and by 2035 there should be no sales of new internal-combustion-engine passenger cars. Reaching net-zero will require a huge decline in the use of fossil fuels, falling from almost four-fifths of total energy supply today to slightly more than one-fifth by 2050, it says. Those that remain in play in 2050 should only be used where the carbon is part of the product (such as plastics), in facilities fitted with carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS) and in sectors in which low-emissions technology options are scarce.1

The International Energy Agency recommends no investment in new fossil fuel supply projects or coal plants without carbon-reduction technology, starting today.

 

Benjamin Storrow, E&E News, published by Scientific American on May 18, 2021, reports that Net-Zero Emissions by 2050 are possible according to a landmark report from the International Energy Agency that outlines the steps needed to overhaul energy systems to meet global warming goals. Net Zero by 2050 is a roadmap for the Global Energy Sector.

 IEA’s findings are significant on several levels. Net-zero road maps are traditionally the provenance of academics, International Panel on Climate Change modelers and green-hued think tanks. The IEA, an agency established in response to the oil crisis of 1973 and 1974, has long been pilloried by greens for failing to accurately capture the growth of renewables and for a hesitant embrace of the energy transition. In that sense, today’s report represents an endorsement from the energy establishment, giving industry credence to the idea it is possible to essentially eliminate emissions from the world’s energy system in the next three decades. “IEA analysis has been used to prop up the fossil fuel system,” said Kingsmill Bond, an energy strategist at Carbon Tracker, a London-based think tank that studies the financial impact of climate change. “The fact the IEA specifically has come out with this analysis suggesting that change is possible is extremely significant.”2

The IEA examines the full spectrum of energy issues including oil, gas and coal supply and demand, renewable energy technologies, electricity markets, energy efficiency, access to energy, demand side management and much more.

 

This special report is the world’s first comprehensive study of how to transition to a net zero energy system by 2050 while ensuring stable and affordable energy supplies, providing universal energy access, and enabling robust economic growth. It sets out a cost-effective and economically productive pathway, resulting in a clean, dynamic and resilient energy economy dominated by renewables like solar and wind instead of fossil fuels. The report also examines key uncertainties, such as the roles of bioenergy, carbon capture and behavioural changes in reaching net zero.3

Through its work, the IEA advocates policies that will enhance the reliability, affordability and sustainability of energy in its 30 member countries, 8 association countries and beyond.

Electrical Generation Changes

 

The Canadian Press reports that Ottawa is looking for 2,000 new energy auditors to get a home retrofit program going that promises to provide homeowners up to $5K in grants to make upgrades that curb energy use.

 

"We need to train more because I think very soon we will be announcing an ambitious greener homes initiative and it is going to affect thousands of Canadians," O'Regan said. "And we know that energy advisers are going to be in demand. Recruiting up to 2,000 more of them right across the country is a very good investment for what's coming down the pipe on the greener homes announcements." All buildings in Canada, including homes, private businesses and public buildings, contribute almost one-fifth of the country's total greenhouse gas emissions each year, largely from the fuels used for heating and electricity.4

Efficiency Canada joined Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at an announcement of a $10 million investment in training for new energy advisors. Corey Diamond, the executive director of Efficiency Canada, the national voice for an energy efficient economy, based at Carleton University. Efficiency Canada advocates for policies that will help Canada maximize the benefits of energy efficiency to support a sustainable environment, a productive economy and a just and equitable society.

 

Corey Diamond, executive director of Efficiency Canada, the national voice for an energy efficient economy, based at Carleton University, tells a story about Shawna Henderson. Shawna is the founder and CEO of the training company Blue House Energy in Halifax, Nova Scotia. She is a veteran in the energy efficiency space, having worked in the industry since 1991. In 2001, as a single mother, she began training people in energy efficiency and related construction fields, driving herself and her kids around her home province talking to anyone that would listen about the benefits of saving energy. She eventually decided to take her know-how online and launched Blue House Energy’s education platform in 2012. She is known across the country now as an expert energy advisor, passing her knowledge down to the next generation of energy advisors with a staff of 9.5

Investment and employment associated with the effort to achieve a Net Zero Economy are turning to energy efficient buildings and a large increase in the role of solar and wind resources in the generation of electricity. These trends point to areas of skilled employment in the next few decades.

 

References

1	(2021, May 18). Planet's pathway to net-zero means no new oil and gas spending .... Retrieved May 18, 2021, from https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-pathway-to-net-zero-means-no-new-oil-and-gas-developments-iea-report/
2	(2021, May 18). Net-Zero Emissions by 2050 Are Possible, Landmark Report Says .... Retrieved May 19, 2021, from https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/net-zero-emissions-by-2050-are-possible-landmark-report-says/
3	(2021, May 18). Net Zero by 2050 – Analysis - IEA. Retrieved May 19, 2021, from https://www.iea.org/reports/net-zero-by-2050
4	(2021, May 17). Ottawa looking for 2,000 new energy auditors to get home retrofit .... Retrieved May 19, 2021, from https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/energy-auditors-1.6029660
5	(2021, May 17). Efficiency Canada joins Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at .... Retrieved May 19, 2021, from https://www.efficiencycanada.org/efficiency-canada-joins-prime-minister-justin-trudeau-at-announcement-of-a-10-million-investment-in-training-for-new-energy-advisors/

 

Engineers declare climate responsibility

Engineering is centre stage in the transformation of our energy and transportation infrastructure to respond to the climate crisis.

Engineer climate action

"Plan A" remains tackling the problem at its source. A major UN climate science report released in South Korea makes it clear that slashing carbon pollution—even drastically—won't be enough to keep Earth from seriously overheating. Crisis management and seven ways to engineer climate are outlined with drawbacks in this article from Phys.org as a menu of "Plan B" geo-engineering solutions.

Direct CO2 capture… and prohibitively expensive and cannot operate at scale. Massive afforestation… and clash with food and biofuel crops. Bioenergy with carbon capture and storage… and scheme in conflict with food crops. Ocean fertilisation… and enhanced weathering.. and expensive to mine and mill. Biochar...and the stability of biochar used as a fertiliser. Solar radiation management … and what scientists call "termination shock"—a sudden warming if the system were to fail.1 

The resolution of tension between options and outcomes is practiced daily by engineering professionals. The CBC reports that as climate change protests ramp up, Australian engineers are pushing for a zero-carbon future. More than 1,000 engineers have joined Engineers Declare, a movement that calls on its members to prioritize sustainability and push their industry toward a low-carbon future.

Jane Hadjion is one of the movement's coordinators and says her peers have a unique responsibility to address climate change.
"We're asking engineers to reassess what they do," she told Day 6 host Brent Bambury.
We're driving an inclusive movement, and we've been using [the] words "just and equitable transition."
So we don't want people to lose their jobs, and if they do lose their jobs, we would like the industry to collectively put its creativity hat on and plan a future where everybody is brought along.2 

Engineers Declare supports that engineering teams have a responsibility to actively support the transition of our economy towards a low carbon future. This begins with honestly and loudly declaring a climate and biodiversity emergency.

Meeting the needs of our society without breaching the earth’s ecological boundaries demands a paradigm shift in our activities and our behaviours. Together with our clients, we will need to design and implement systems, infrastructure and technologies that can contribute to constantly regenerating and self-sustaining economic and ecological systems.
The research and technology exist for us to begin that transformation now, but we need to work together.3 

Engineering teams, in the next decade, are the best equipped professionals in society to assess project merits “by the numbers”. Careers will be created for hundreds of thousands in support of this massive engineering undertaking.

References

1	(2018, October 8). Crisis management: Seven ways to engineer climate - Phys.org. Retrieved November 30, 2019, from https://phys.org/news/2018-10-crisis-ways-climate.html
2	(2019, October 25). As climate change protests ramp up, Australian engineers are .... Retrieved November 30, 2019, from https://www.cbc.ca/radio/day6/engineers-take-on-climate-change-u-s-nukes-in-turkey-raptors-uprising-spider-web-art-irl-witches-and-more-1.5333393/as-climate-change-protests-ramp-up-australian-engineers-are-pushing-for-a-zero-carbon-future-1.5333408
3	(n.d.). Australian Engineers Declare Climate and Biodiversity .... Retrieved November 30, 2019, from https://engineersdeclare.org.au/

Health effects of inequality, bootstrap individualism and high-octane opportunism

The dangers to the physical and mental health of our children and grandchildren due to the warming of the planet invite consideration of the moral issues involved in supporting further activity by industries with high GHG emissions.

Sea Level rise

Susan Ormiston & Mia Sheldon of CBC News note that there is a saying among climate scientists that "what happens in the North doesn't stay in the North," meaning big changes in this region will affect the rest of Canada as well. Mean temperatures in the Western Arctic have increased a staggering 3.4 degrees Celsius since the 1960s.

To put that in perspective, the goal of the Paris Agreement on climate change that Canada signed is to ensure global temperatures rise no more than an average of 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. Scientists predict that worldwide warming greater than that could trigger potentially disastrous changes to weather patterns and ocean levels.1

Investigators at the YEARS Project reveal that Exxon knew about the dangers of climate change in the 1970s, according to internal company documents.

This date agrees with the research done by Bill McKibben and published in his book “Falter: Has the Human Game Begun to Play Itself Out?”

Rylan Higgins offers the opinion that petroleum industry jobs are only a good living if you prepare for the bust, which always comes.

 In short, it's pretty brutal, pretty unforgiving. Chews you up, spits you out.
And I'm talking about people who have devoted their entire lives to it.
It's not a surprise. The power at the top is global, immense and hell-bent on squeezing every penny out of the labour that goes into producing oil and gas. The industry has long been one based on inequality, bootstrap individualism and high-octane opportunism...And let's not forget just how opportunistic and contradictory the powerful people in the industry are. When times are good, they argue that government needs to get out of the way, that progress should not be impeded by labour or environmental regulations.
Consider, however, the fact that oil and gas are extracted on land secured from indigenous people with the help of the government.
And what about the government subsidies from which the industry benefits? When the boom ends, industry enthusiasts are quick to fault the government for not prioritizing the sector's recovery.
There are a lot of good reasons to transition away from this industry.
It will be critical to consider the workers and families in the industry as we do so. The next economic arrangement should put workers, families and the environment first — and investors and corporate bigwigs last.
In short, we'd be better off without oil and gas, and I'd bet there are plenty of workers and families who'd love an economy based on more stable, just and environmentally friendly industries....3

Sean Craig writes on a report in the Lancet that wildfires, disease, food scarcity are what scientists predict in a grim century for Canada. The Lancet Countdown global report focuses, in particular, on burdens infants and children will face in the coming decades.

Researchers determined that, as they age into adolescence, the impact of air pollution will worsen for current infants and children if current trends continue. As they enter adulthood, extreme-weather events will intensify and become more common. For example, 152 out of 196 countries saw an increase in people exposed to wildfires in the past 15 years. They said Canada is not doing enough to mitigate these potential harms.
"Canada is not on track: in 2016, total Canadian GHG emissions were 704 (metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent), an increase of more than 100 metric tons since 1990," the report reads. "Policies and measures currently under development but not yet implemented are forecast to reduce national emissions to 592 metric tons by 2030, 79 metric tons above Canada’s 2030 target... a goal which is itself too weak to represent a fair contribution by Canada to the emissions reductions necessary to meet the goals of the Paris Climate Change Agreement."4

The planet is warming. That warming is caused by GHG emissions. Our climate scientists and health care professionals understand that there are significant consequences for our life.

Profits over the Planet

The efforts of big oil have focused mostly on profits over the planet and the health of people.

References

1	(2019, June 19). How climate change is thawing the 'glue that holds the ... - CBC. Retrieved November 13, 2019, from https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/the-national-permafrost-thaw-inuvik-tuktoyaktuk-1.5179842
2	(2019, August 23). War On Our Future - YouTube. Retrieved November 15, 2019, from https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmB1tUgTXBErWp0_RlyZPvrVAE2i0cTkN
3	(2019, November 15). 'It's pretty brutal, pretty unforgiving': Why the West should move .... Retrieved November 15, 2019, from https://www.cbc.ca/news/opinion/opinion-rylan-higgins-oil-patch-1.5358248
4	(2019, November 13). Wildfires, disease, food scarcity: scientists predict a grim century. Retrieved November 14, 2019, from https://www.nationalobserver.com/2019/11/13/news/wildfires-disease-food-scarcity-scientists-predict-grim-century-canada