Normally a birthday is an occasion for pride and celebration but not so for Canada, whose citizens received a wake up call on July 1st from the WWF scorecard of progress on climate change.
Only five months ahead of the crucial global climate negotiations in Copenhagen, the 2009 edition of the annual WWF-Allianz G8 Climate Scorecards shows that while some effort and improvement had been made by several G8 countries, action remains insufficient to set the world on a course that would keep temperatures well below the dangerous 2 degree Celsius increase. Monthly evidence for that, by the way, is available on this site via the Carbon Meter
here.
Despite Canada's reliance on renewable clean hydro sources for electricity, the average Canadian emits some 24 tons of CO2 per person - twice as much CO2 as the average German and SIX times more than the average Indian.
The following two graphics reinforce the message that Canada could and should do far better.
"Nowhere else on earth do fewer people steward more resources, yet Canada now stands dead last amongst the G8 nations in protecting our shared home from the threat of dangerous climate change." observed Keith Stwart, Director fo WWF-Canada's Climate Change Campaign. "Canada's future lies in creating green jobs on a living planet, not in becoming an energy sweatshop for the world."
But there is good news from some parts of the tourism industry. British Columbia's Partnership for Sustainable Tourism is now very much up and running with three highly talented staff and a number of key initiatives already at the detailed planning phase (a web site to be launched very shortly); Whistler's Centre for Sustainability is also well staffed and busy helping both local business reduce emissions and advise other municipalities such as Williams Lake on how to develop a sustainable plan (see article here); and the Icarus Foundation has acquired a new Board and new Executive Director and developed a membership program designed to fund a range of practical services - do please visit our updated web site.
I am sure there are many other exciting things being done to ensure that tourism meets its responsibilities despite the harsh economic times and encourage Canadian readers to comment on this post and contribute more examples of progress, no matter how modest.
But much work remains, so the birthday party is over now and help is needed to restore Canada's reputation as a country whose people care. Our commitment to peace and social justice in the post war period enabled us to enjoy prestige in the decision-making capitals of the world. That position has since been eroded and Canada is increasingly out-of-step with the values and policies of other wealthy industrialised nations. What's the point of obtaining substantial increases in marketing funding, if Canada's appeal as a pristine, wild and natural land is tarnished and its leaders are seen as lacking a sense of care for the future?
Instantaneous global connectivity, digital communications and networked communities are empowering people and communities from Tehran to western China to Heathrow. In the UK, travelers are enabled to chose flights on the basis of the environmental performance of the carrier - see
Fly Smart - and
initial research suggest that some 57% will chose responsibility over price.
It's only a matter of time before the scorecard approach is applied to tourism destinations, so Canada had better to be ahead of this trend than trying to play catch up.
Postscript - hot off the press
Ironically, some five minutes after I had pressed "send", the
this article from Times Online flashed across my Tweetdeck seemingly refuting my statement regarding Canada's reputation. It appears that Canada is held in high esteem for cutting after all - not emissions but public spending and not the current government but a previous Liberal one. According to this article, Tories and civil servants are being advised as to how Canada reduced its heavy deficit... public spending in the UK is now running at 12% of GDP.
Is better, before beginning of any project to analyse that exists at present and to make the intelligent decision.:
Posted by: yuotubeporno | November 28, 2009 at 01:51 PM