It’s not that the planet is getting too hot, just that it’s getting too hot for human beings. Temperatures were up 1.3 C across the world in February compared to last year.
With the global temperature breaking records at a Gretzky-like frequency, another degree doesn’t seem to faze most people. But it should, especially if you eat food.
Medical journal The Lancet is anticipating half a million people will die in 2050, primarily due to a scarcity of fruit and vegetables caused by climate change.
After reading about imminent increases in heart disease, we stumbled on another story that made our blood pressure rise.
Energy companies, after hoarding their oil-extraction profits, are now hoping to share the cost of cleaning up their mess.
The Petroleum Services Association of Canada is asking for $500 million in federal funds to clean up inactive oil and gas wells. The plan has already won support from Alberta’s energy minister.
We have little patience for companies that adhere to laissez-faire capitalism in good times but flip to share-the-burden socialism when business is lean.
However, the bigger issue here is the frighteningly cosy relationship between our government and the oil industry. It’s a relationship that includes billions in tax breaks and benefits, according to the International Monetary Fund.
Will Justin Trudeau be able to keep his promises on climate change and getting oil companies off of the government welfare wagon? Here in Burnaby the government faces a giant test of its promises.
Kinder Morgan’s application to twin the Trans Mountain pipeline and bring many more oil tankers into the inlet to transport it is a picture-perfect example.
It is an oil proposal that is in the wrong place at the wrong time, and has little, if any, local support. If the new government doesn’t quash this plan (if the NEB does approve it) it might as well kiss what’s left of its environmental reputation goodbye. Last week, it approved the environmental assessment for the Squamish LNG plant, which shook a lot of people.
Theories on why this happened abound, but all of them point to a government or a government bureaucracy that is not doing its homework.
This does nothing to inspire confidence.
Stopping climate change means changing our habits: where we drive, what we buy, and if things keep up, who we vote for.
– Guest editorial from the North Shore News
