Sunday, November 18, 2007

Another Hollow Argument

The anti-Kyoto crowd like to mock Canadian action to cut GHG emissions as meaningless. They point out that we're so small that a significant cut here would make no noticeable difference globally. It's not that they don't get it, these clowns choose not to get it.

There are times when the community of nations must act collectively. We sent squadrons upon squadrons of fighters and bombers to England in the Second World War and yet we were never threatened by German bombs. For decades Canada led the international peacekeeping effort in places like the Gaza Strip and Cyprus and yet they weren't particularly significant to Canada.

What was significant to Canada was the peace and health of the world. That's why we've sent our soldiers in harm's way so often and why we've contributed to global foreign aid. We recognize that everyone wins, Canada very much included, from a healthy, stable world.

There are other ways to look at this situation. If we can lower our per capita GHG emissions by 20 per cent it will be equal to ten times as many Africans eliminating their GHG emissions completely.

When it comes to greenhouse gas emissions, Canadians are pigs at the trough. We're second only to Americans. You cannot imagine what global warming would be like if the Indians and the Chinese reached per capita GHG emission levels a quarter of our own.

Let's see, we want to lecture them about what they must do. The problem is, when we have our snouts buried deep in the slops, it's hard to make out what we're saying.

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