Editor:
Endangering all human progress for the past two centuries … fossil fuel GHG emissions rising by 50 per cent locks in disruptive climate changes, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
It says global average temperatures will likely be 3C to 6C higher than pre-industrial levels. Can humans adapt? Are you certain? Why? Is this our making of a global human tragedy?
OECD, looking ahead to 2030-2050, warns about present human pressures on Earth’s ecosystems.
Energy demand “... is likely to be 80 per cent higher in 2050 than now,” OECD says.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) says humanity will increase global energy demand 40 per cent by 2035. We need non-fossil fuel energy PDQ. We experience significant extreme climate/weather challenges/damages at 0.08 C. The UN aims to stop our global temperatures from rising above 2 C (pre-industrial). Making that aim fail … Canada historically plays a significant role … lately in Durban (Stephen Harper/ Peter Kent). Avoid irreversible human-genic climate change by 2015, says the IEA!
Harper/Kent speed ahead for scheduled “trillions” of dollars of “lethal” fossil fuel profits … for Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP), “clean” coal associations, “clean” natural gas groups … Chambers of Commerce/business councils. Political campaigns, corporate lobbyists, lawyers, marketing, think-tanks are massively funded with petro/fossil-fuel mega-dollars. The Canadian Oilsands Innovation Alliance market “un-dirtied” tar-sands energy. Ignore/deny/dismiss/damn/minimize lethal GHG emissions, ecosystems and our future generations … Suncor, Exxon-Mobile et. al.?
Ignore/dismiss the UN, OECD, IEA, the Stern Report … a global consensus of climate scientists (Harper/Kent)? Degrade Canada’s Fisheries Act (Keith Ashfield)? Degrade/fast track the federal assessments that are “hurdles” for Canadian fossil fuel development (Joe Oliver)?
What are the obligations of Canadians (who are un-familiar) with what even our existing degree of democracy permits/requires of us … individually and collectively?
Are Canadians forever “trapped,” locked in fossil fuel markets … for the interests/mega-profits of a small group of large/powerful multinational corporations … accepting violations of our global/local environment, people, and future generations with reckless endangerment?
Herb Nakada
Williams Lake