Science Matters | October 9, 2009
By David Suzuki with Faisal Moola
It's amazing what world leaders can do when they come together for a common cause, as they did in
Montreal in 1987 to ban CFCs to protect the ozone layer. In December, our leaders will have a tremendous
opportunity in Copenhagen to take the world into a new era of innovation and prosperity.
But, as was the case in Montreal, this opportunity is born out of
crisis. The threat of climate change is real and imminent. Scientists
from around the world have confirmed this through continuous study and
observation - despite what the
increasingly desperate and nonsensical arguments from deniers would have you believe.
This is no longer a political issue. It's an issue of utmost importance
to all of us, no matter where on the political spectrum we feel most
comfortable. And we're finally seeing some agreement about confronting
this challenge among world leaders from the left, centre, and right.
It's especially a conservative issue. After all, as Denmark's Minister
of Climate and Energy,
Connie Hedegaard,
points out, a core conservative belief is "that what you inherit you
should pass on to the next generation." And that doesn't mean passing
on our mess!
Conservatives also believe that we should live within our means, save
some of what we have for tomorrow, and act with care and caution.
Conservatives with deep religious conviction know also that we are
stewards of the Earth - and good stewardship means protecting the
Earth, its resources, and its life.
The December climate summit in Copenhagen is a crossroads. We can
continue to delay while the Earth's natural systems reach tipping
points beyond which we may not be able to find our way back, or we can
move forward in our efforts to slow global warming, reduce pollution,
and create new opportunities for healthier lives and stronger economies.
Many world leaders are already committed to negotiating an agreement in Copenhagen that is
ambitious, fair, and binding,
and many have started implementing solutions in their own countries.
Unfortunately, Canada is falling behind. Our national targets for
reducing greenhouse gas emissions have been called ineffective, and our
performance at a number of recent climate meetings has been
labelled "obstructionist".
Our inaction comes from fear. Because Canada is a major oil producer,
politicians and some businesspeople are afraid that reducing our
reliance on fossil fuels will harm the economy. But that's
short-sighted. If we continue to rely on dwindling non-renewable energy
supplies, we'll be left in the dust as the rest of the world moves
forward to a green economy, with innovation, jobs, and money from new
technologies such as renewable energy infrastructure.
If we were to use our fossil-fuel resources such as oil more wisely, we
could make them last longer and derive more national economic benefits
from them while we make the transition to a clean-energy economy. The
side benefits would include less pollution and environmental damage, a
more stable economy, and healthier citizens.
If we continue down the same road, however, we risk catastrophic
consequences to our economy and to our very lives. Scientists agree
that if average temperatures on Earth rise just another degree, global
warming could reach a point of no return, with melting icecaps, rising
sea levels, increasing waves of climate refugees, extinction of plants
and animals, and floods, droughts, and other severe weather events.
As a northern nation, Canada is particularly vulnerable to climate
change. The impact is magnified near the Earth's poles, largely because
of the loss of ice and snow coverage. Canada also has the longest
marine coastline in the world, so sea-level rise would have a dramatic
effect with enormous economic consequences. Many Canadians are already
feeling the sting of climate change, especially in the North and in
other communities that depend on forestry, fisheries, and agriculture.
Change is never easy, and taking bold steps can come with costs in the
short term. But refusing to change means we are condemning ourselves
and our children and grandchildren to an uncertain and dangerous
future. We can all take individual action to reduce our emissions, but
ultimately, we must let our leaders know that we expect them to seize
the opportunity in Copenhagen to create a secure and healthy future for
our small blue planet and all the people who share it.
Photos by simonella_virus & species_snob via Flickr. Creative Commons licensed.