From the comments is back after a brief hiatus. Today’s comments were selected from Clear and present danger: The urgency of a good climate policy, a widely commented on column by Chris Turner.
Illustration by Bryan Gee
Anyone who claims that a Canadian “good climate policy” will ever have a measurable impact on climate is either deluded or dishonest. - old taxpayer
In response to old taxpayer:
If we implement good policy and the rest of the world does nothing, then that is true. But one has to start somewhere. - Slofstra
Human behaviour is not wired in a way to deal with an abstract problem like global warming because the danger is not immediate and entirely visible. There is also the huge problem of collective response where everyone says my contribution to the problem is tiny and if the next person over does not bear the costs why should I pay. Our individualistic short-term self-interest will kill future generations with so many people scoffing at taking action that requires individual effort and sacrifice while leaning on excuses of denial of the seriousness of the warming problem. - zuglo9
Let’s say Canadians tax carbon to the hilt. We reduce our emissions to absurdly low level. We cripple our economy and freeze in winter, but we have reduced CO2. But our big next door neighbour, that does nothing of the sort keeps on going and increases C02 and motors along. What can we do unless everyone is on board? - Kothar
"Now we are in imminent danger of becoming just one more country with no plan at all, going nowhere fast." That about sums it up as to where we seem to be headed. It is all or nothing for both sides, which makes it impossible for a pragmatic compromise policy that will at least move us further down the road to dealing with climate change. Yes the Liberal compromise policy will not be enough, but it is better than nothing.
I applaud the Liberals for at least attempting to build consensus based policies around climate change. The kind of short term tribal fake populist politics we are now experiencing may put an end to that. It may well put an end to much more. Thanks to Chris Turner for laying this out so clearly for us. - mclbri1
An exceptional article: timely and very thorough. Turner is correct: I like to think that I follow CC issues fairly closely yet I was not familiar with the details (or even the full title) of the Pan-Canadian Framework.
Like him,I hope he is incorrect regarding the latest setbacks and the potential for us to effectively do nothing for another 10 years or so. Turner is right on in calling for "a binding price on carbon pollution, the end of coal-fired power, and a deepening commitment to renewable power and energy efficiency and mass transit from every government in the land."
Those goals are eminently achievable, politically and practically. Oil consumption (and emissions) continue to rise. Petroleum is getting more expensive again and this is unlikely to change in the near term.
Yes, Ontario's Green Energy Plan was a mess. But its failings do not mean that other jurisdictions should point to it as proof that wind & solar are not viable options. The good news about any mess is that lessons are learned and subsequent efforts should have much better outcomes. Let's tackle the 'low-hanging fruit' like phasing out coal-fired generation, etc and get on with it.
Good job, Chris. - Rick Munroe
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