Friday, May 03, 2019

David Suzuki's Warning - Don't Rely On the Federal Government When Your Life's at Stake.


As our environment slides into meltdown, David Suzuki has a word of warning - don't count on your political leadership to do the right thing.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Environment and Climate Change Minister Catherine McKenna have young children who will surely be greatly affected by climate change, but they've done little to raise the IPCC's alarm or educate the public about the severity of climate disruption. It's all because of politics. They don't want to jeopardize their chances in the next election so they avoid antagonizing some segments of society. 
As the SNC-Lavalin scandal unfolds, we see politicians held hostage by corporate threats of job losses or head offices moving to other countries. As economist and Columbia University professor Jeffrey Sachs recalls, ozone-depleting CFCs were not eliminated by raising taxes on them or encouraging the public to stop buying CFC-containing spray cans or refrigerators. They were legislated out. 
We're in a battle for a liveable future and must make a declaration of war against catastrophic climate change. It's too late to remove the carbon we've already put into the atmosphere, so we'll have to live with the results for decades. But it makes no sense to continue to add to what is already at a devastating level higher than it's been for millions of years.  

...Many of my colleagues argue it's too late, that we're like the coyote, already over the edge, about to fall. Is that an argument for doing nothing? I don't think so, because we still don't really know whether we're the coyote or the roadrunner. And even if we fall, we might be able to avoid being crushed by the falling rock or anvil. Let's stop all the name-calling and denial, listen to the experts, seize the challenge, and make the commitment to meet the IPCC target
That baseline target, cutting emissions by 50 per cent by 2030, is not even on our government's radar. They have no plan to meet that target even as they ramp up extraction, transmission and export of high-carbon, high-cost, low-value bitumen. If you want to know where they stand on looming climate catastrophe you need look no further.
The economic, social, and environmental consequences of whatever governments do or don't do now will be enormous, but we have to do all we can to keep from hitting bottom. As Abraham Lincoln said: "Commitment is what transforms a promise into reality."

8 comments:

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
The Mound of Sound said...


Anon, stick to the subject of the post or take a hike.

Anonymous said...

Nothing like getting in a dig at Suzuki, Anon. No doubt you had a lttle snigger - about the level of a Con climate change denier, haw, haw, haw. What have you done to advance the human race? Drink beer?

BM

The Mound of Sound said...


BM, mention Suzuki's name and it draws the trolls out from beneath their rocks. I didn't think it would take long and, sure enough, it didn't.

Anonymous said...

Well,well BM, went to school, got my Ph.D. in chemistry, helped to develop new drugs at U of A , spent time at UBC doing basic research, worked at the B.C. Provincial Environmental lab helping with pesticide, PCB, and dioxin contamination, spent time at SFU trying to develop a method for destruction of CFC and had some fun teaching students, toiled at WCB of BC working to improve health of workers exposed to dangerous chemicals and worked for the Queen on how to analyse, and prevent formation of various contaminants in your daily food. Grew a Family, worked a bit in the community, all that standard jazz.
Never voted for Cons, but I am disillusioned with "left" which is recently embracing lunatics. It is a mystery to me why you have sensed that I am climate denier. I am quite proficient with chemistry of carbon dioxide, and ppm, ppb, ppt even ppq. As for Suzuki, the fella simply does not walk the talk, and thus make a great disservice to the cause.
And yes, I like good beer, once in a while.
By the way, visited ~25 years ago Port Douglas, Australia. VERY nice place and the snorkeling on the reef (before any coral bleaching)was one of the most memorable events in my life. Recommended!

The Mound of Sound said...

Anon, thanks for your CV. Now, do you have anything to contribute on topic?

Anonymous said...

"do you have anything to contribute on topic?"
I did, but in a Pavlovian reflex you have deleted it.
Let me repeat it:
"Commitment is what transforms a promise into reality."
My personal commitment, your personal commitment, Suzuki's personal commitment and everybody else personal commitment.
The emphasis is on personal.

Anonymous said...

I think you have met yours...MOS?