Editor:
If unlimited economic growth is like an aggressive stage four or stage five global economic cancer … what is it that holds us back from an aggressive cure which could help our future generations sustain themselves?
Terry Lake (June 27, 2012) says B.C. is going to meet its short-term goal for reducing greenhouse gas emissions … six per cent by 2012. Longer-term goals … 33 per cent reduction by 2020 … 80 per cent reduction by 2050 … are in doubt with three LNG energy intensive plants developed by 2020.
Kevin Falcon says we must review our greenhouse gas reductions taking B.C. to an economic “competitive” disadvantage to exploit our natural resources.
B.C. mining is exploring for coal in the high-Arctic. We have a large coal industry. There are no limits to developing a “clean” natural gas industry. We want Alberta “dirty” tar-sand bitumen in pipelines across B.C. shipped in our coastal waters. The fossil-fuel industry says any damage will be offset by economic benefits … for who?
Rather … we need to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions 80 per cent …by 2020 …to help global temperatures to stay below 2C. With present efforts … we may expect 2C by 2030 … 3C to 3.5C by 2050 … 4C to 5C by 2099 with a global population of eight billion by 2030 … nine billion by 2050 … all demanding more energy exponentially … green or fossil fuel?
Terry Lake might review B.C.’s goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to help the world stay below 2C … instead of priority on an unsustainable unlimited fossil-fuel based economy.
Review false security … with all the decencies of civilized life being sacrificed. Imagine half the world’s human population (four to five billion) or all of us dying off … cruelly.
Exceeding 2C is unacceptable for sustaining any civilization. We will make an aggressive cure … a rapid transition to a green economy in time … or start to die off.
Herb Nakada
Williams Lake