Up in the Air

Take a Stand, Exercise your Political Will

Anna Pollock

I am writing this several thousands of miles away from Canada. Sadly I am not in Bali but in Europe, from which vantage point it is less and less possible to ignore the way in which Canada's reputation for fairness, forward thinking and international diplomacy is being trashed so visibly by a Premier who can think only of his own self interest. The issue is no longer about left and right politics and shaming others; it is simply about taking the right action now. The western world has grown prosperous and mean spirited on the back of cheap oil and cheap credit. Both may be diminishing in supply and that will bring its own set of challenges and conflicts.

Right now, however, as Canadian citizens, we have a chance in Bali to do the right thing; to create a multilateral, multi-national agreement and, thereby, show that each of recognizes that nature knows no political boundaries. We're all in this together, rich and poor...., urban or rural, environmentalist or capitalist.

But our democratic rights are curtailed. Unless we petition our leaders between elections, they appear to be able to do what they wish or think they can get away with. many are cut off from voter sentiment by advisors, pundits, spin merchants. There's a small window available. Avaaz - a social network of concerned citizens invites Canadians to expres their concerns by signing a petition.

I reproduce their e-mail in full below. Click on Avaaz above or the first link in their email below to get to the petition form quickly.

Dear friends,

Right now, a major UN summit in Bali has just a few days left to hammer out an agreement on stopping catastrophic climate change. But instead of helping out, Canada is actually sabotaging the UN talks! On Saturday, experts gave us the global "fossil" award for being the worst country in the world on climate change.

There's still a few days left to save Canada's reputation -- and the climate -- but we need a massive democratic roar to remind our Prime Minister what Canada is all about, and stop him from blocking the world at Bali. Click below to sign the petition and we'll advertize the number of signatures we get in an ad campaign across Canada this week. Our goal is to get 25,000 people to sign in just 3 days before the ads run. Click below, then forward this email to all your friends and family right away:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/another_canadian_climate_crime/4.php

Enough is enough. Prime Minister Harper's short-sighted, undemocratic and big oil-driven policy on climate change is damaging the world and destroying our image as a good country. We're supposed to be the nice guys, who try to do the right thing in the world.

The vast majority of Canadians are hopping mad on this issue -- we can win this. We just need to show Harper how serious we are that he change course. Sign up now and forward this email to everyone you know - we've got just 3 days to hit 25,000 signatures!

With much respect and hope,

Ricken Patel,
Avaaz.org

PS - Here are links to some more info on this:

David Suzuki (the Nature of Things) calls the government's spin on climate change "humiliating" and "ludicrous"
http://www.thestar.com/News/article/283829

The former editor-in-chief of CBC news discusses the damage done by Canada's climate policy to our international reputation:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/viewpoint/vp_burman/2007/12/canada_flounders_on_issue_of_c.html

The Fossil of the Day Award site:
http://www.avaaz.org/fossils

What Are We Waiting For?

Where Did All the Ice Go?

This set of photographs was obtained from the Corporate Knights Forum and shows simply how fast the Arctic Ice Cap is melting. Apparently scientists are "stunned" by the loss of ice, with an area almost as big as Britain disappearing in the last week alone (Sept 5th, 2007)

So much ice has disaapeared that the northwest passage across the top of Canada is now fully navigable. If this pace of melting continues, the Artic will be free of ice by 2030.

More details can be found in an article published by the ever vigilent Guardian Newspaper here or you could go straight to the National Snow and Ice Data Center and read their Fall Summary that shows the extent to which the NorthWest Passge is opening up and ice levels are receding. 

Why is this not front page news in Canada? The entire geography and economy of this country is changing in front of our eyes with enormous political, economic and ecological consequences. The pace and magnitude of this change is unprecedented. We're looking at the destruction of an entire way of life and economy of the Inuit people,  the potential extinction of the Polar Bear and many other species that comprise the Arctic ecosystem. The competition to stake claim on the Artic's mineral and subterranean fuel resources will undoubtedly stiffen with Russia, Denmark and Canada asserting their rights. Huge changes in shipping patterns will follow as the faster polar route cuts months off the time required to ship goods from one continent to another.

Even if you're in shipping, mining and energy and stand to benefit materially from these changes, you must be wondering how and why an entire population can manage to avoid a vociferous public debate on the pros and cons of this change and whether or not there are benefits to slowing the pace while we examine the consequences?   

Public Affairs Discussion on Climate Change

On Sept 5, 2007, DR. Rachel Dodds, co-founder of the Icarus Foundation, attended a panel discussion entitled: Climate Change: Differing Views on Reaching Kyoto. Here's her summary: 

The discussion focused first locally on the new plan by Peter Love, Chief Energy Conservation Officer, Ontario Power Authority who outlined the news plan by Ontario’s government on the conservation of electricity. 82% of production and use of energy comes from electricity generation in

Canada

and Mr. Love focused on the need for a megawatt reduction.

The second panelist, Dr. Vicky Sharpe, President and CEO, Sustainable Development Technology Canada then discussed the role which government needed to play in order to meet Kyoto targets. Suggestions from Dr. Sharp included the need to look at climate change as an economic problem in addition to an environmental one and that the government needed to take financial risks, use incentives and recognize that such industries such as agriculture could benefit from new technologies such as biofuel production.

Dr. John Stone, Vice Chair, two working groups of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change was the final panelist who summarised the discussion by outlining the role of the IPCC and the findings of their recent May, 2007 report. Dr. Stone outlined that there is now no question that all scientist agree that there is an irreversible problem and the need for action in the next ten years is urgent and a policy imperative rather than just an option.

Sadly, mitigation and adaption of climate issues are still discussed separately and they still need to be discussed in a wider framework. The speakers outlined how targeting climate change solutions can not only foster the development of new technologies but provide greater energy security and give Canada in a competitive advantage.

Although there was no direct discussion of tourism in this panel discussion hosted by Toby Heaps, Editor, "Corporate Knights Magazine”, the message is still the same – making development more sustainable can reduce environmental vulnerability and be a strategy for positive growth.