From Australia, a burning message for fossil fuel producers
Earlier this year, acclaimed Australian novelist Richard Flanagan blasted politicians in his country, saying unwavering political support for fossil fuel industries in Australia is leading the country to commit climate suicide. His blistering commentary ran in The New York Times as fires raged on in New South Wales.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau argues that more pipelines are necessary to pay for the transition to a clean economy. This approach, however, rests on two main assumptions: that Canadian fossil fuels can be produced more cleanly through additional investments; and that reduced emissions from a greener Canadian economy more than compensate for the global emissions produced by increased Canadian fossil-fuel production. So far, there is little evidence to back up those assumptions.