Advocacy groups have expressed concern that the Liberals were not just changing their tone but their plans for the environment due to a rise in the number of COVID-19 cases, but Wilkinson says that’s not the case, and he’s working on an ‘ambitious’ climate plan. (Reuters)
The pandemic has forced some changes to the government’s broader plans. As reported this week by La Presse, the government has not yet planted any of the two billion new trees it promised in last year’s campaign. Wilkinson links that to the fact that there wasn’t a federal budget in the spring.
Wilkinson said the government should be able to move forward with climate change accountability legislation in the fall or early in the new year. An expert panel to advise on the path to net-zero emissions by 2050 is also expected in the “near term,” and Wilkinson said the government should have more to say about plastics in the “next couple months.”
The Liberal platform already committed the government to meaningful action on building retrofits and promoting the use of zero-emission vehicles. As far as a plan to exceed the 2030 target — part of the Paris Agreement on climate change drafted in 2015 — Wilkinson also mentioned the use of hydrogen to fuel heavy-duty transportation and working with industry, including oil and gas, to reduce emissions.
Parks are proven to improve water quality, protect groundwater, prevent flooding, improve the quality of the air we breathe, provide vegetative buffers, habitat for wildlife, and a place where families can connect in mentally stress free ways.
Unfortunately, Lundbreck Falls Provincial Recreational Area along with 163 other parks are to be delisted by the Alberta government. Twenty of them could be closed by the end of the year. The fishing is great and it’s a wonderful place to stay with your family while exploring the Crowsnest Pass area. However, it’s a little too close for the coal mine expansion in Grassy Mountain.
Selenium from mining activities leeching into the Oldman River is a concern as it supplies 40% of the irrigated land in Alberta and the entire water supply for Lethbridge. In Sparwood, B.C., selenium from Tech Resources has poisoned one of its wells. There were other private wells with much higher (13.5 micrograms per litre) than safey limits as well. The mine is just across the Alberta and British Columbia border.
Coal mines use a lot of water. For every tonne of coal mined, between 1 and 2.5 cubic meters of groundwater is made unusable. For that matter, there are a lot of industries using what could be a limited supply of fresh water.
The California Water Association, an industry group for investor-owned water utilities, sells to customers in Los Angeles, Ventura and San Diego counties. Clean, affordable and accessible water is a human right according to California law, but it doesn’t mean we have the same rights here in Alberta, or Canada for that matter. If the Grassy Mountain Coal mine contaminates the headwaters, Alberta could wind up paying a lot more for fresh, clean water.
Quantity and cost isn’t likely to be consistent as heavy industries demand a bigger supply. There is a limit to how much water we have. Canada has 7% of the world’s renewablefresh water, but more than half of this water drains northward into the Arctic Ocean and Hudson Bay. As a result, it is unavailable to the 85% of the Canadian population who live along the country’s southern border. That means the remaining supply, while still abundant, is heavily used and often overly stressed.
Climate change is one of those stressors. With the global increase of ambient temperature, the soil which collects and filters the water, becomes dryer and doesn’t retain as much moisture. Places in North America this year are experiencing extreme temperatures. Phoenix, Arizona has had record temperatures above 110 degrees Fahrenheit for 43 days so far this year, setting a new record.
The Burning Environment
Warmer air and dryer soil create conditions that make us more susceptible to fires. It continues to get worse every year and affects millions of lives, including birds, animals and humans
Thousands of migrating birds died this year from thirst and hunger. Wildfires in California shut them out of their natural migration areas. It was reported these birds were dying mid-flight and falling to the ground. And, it isn’t just birds. The last few years have seen a number of species around the world dying off or going extinct. There have been reports of hundreds of seals and whales beaching themselves, and various other fish and animals perishing. The truth is, we are not good stewards of the land. Wealth and greed sees us turning our resources over to the big corporations for a pittance of what they are worth.
Between Washington State, Oregon and California, there have been over 5 million acres have been burnt. The exact count isn’t in yet but it’s said tens of thousands of people have been displaced. It isn’t unusual to find different kinds of animals and fish migrating northward because of the unbearable heat.
We’ve heard several reports over the last few years that confirm this pattern. Climate change is the recognized cause. These populations are moving towards the north, and this includes people as well. The heat is becoming unbearable, the soil is less fertile and fresh water will also be in short supply, not only in the west but also in places like Florida, Georgia and Alabama, where droughts now regularly wither cotton fields. “The Memphis Sands Aquifer, a crucial water supply for Mississippi, Tennessee, Arkansas and Louisiana, is already overdrawn by hundreds of millions of gallons a day. Much of the Ogallala Aquifer — which supplies nearly a third of the nation’s irrigation groundwater — could be gone by the end of the century, as reported in a New York Times article.”
Flooding is becoming more frequent in areas that aren’t as susceptible to fires, especially the coastal areas. Roadways will be submerged, crops drown and salt water will seep into the fresh water supply. An article in the New York Times claims that eight of the nation’s 20 largest metropolitan areas, including Miami, New York and Boston — will be profoundly altered, indirectly affecting some 50 million people. The World Bank warns that fast-moving climate urbanization leads to rising unemployment, competition for services and deepening poverty. These conditions will come on the heels of people migrating to get themselves and their families to a safer place to live.
In August, Reuters reported the last fully intact ice shelf in the Canadian Arctic1 had collapsed. It’s been reported that the ejected section covers about 110 square km. The north is warming twice as fast as the rest of the world and it’s leading to some dramatic changes. It has been referred to as an abrupt climate change event. We have all heard that Greenland is melting too. It contains enough ice to raise global sea levels by seven metres, if it were all to melt. Thankfully, it won’t happen all at once. If we could match our temperatures to the Paris climate accord it might be possible to avert this calamity. However all the reports being released are saying there isn’t much chance of Canada or the world meeting these goals.
Greenland Is Melting
Who’s Coming to dinner?
How long will it be until Canada gets over run with American climate refugees? How long will it be before we can no longer feed everyone? Where will everyone live? Can we push north like the birds and other animals?
We’ve had fires burning above the article circle so we’re limited to how far north we can move. The farther north we go, the warmer it is from global warming. Luckily, those living in Alberta will be all-right for years to come.
The University of Lethbridge said: “On average, summer temperatures have gone up by less than one degree, rarely more than that. Spring temperatures have also risen by less than one degree in southern Alberta, but in northern Alberta there are regions with more than two degrees of increased warming.” There is little doubt. The good news about this increase is, that it’s lengthened the growing season by 3-4 weeks. Plants and vegetables can take advantage of the extended season. On the other hand, it means more extreme weather will follow.
When it’s Alberta’s turn to start shifting north, it may not be a viable choice. It already shown that the animals that live there have their lives in danger with the increasing temperature and dwindling ice. We can’t migrate to an unstable environment. A team of scientists visited the region on a Greenpeace vessel and took amazing footage with a drone showing the retreating ice.
Alberta is at a crossroads. Turning our parks back over to the crown means they won’t be saved for future generations to enjoy and there will be less available areas that can be built out for climate refugees. Our extinction may have started. It’s best we think about preparing for it. Some authors are heralding in the Apocalypse. ABC news carries a story saying:
According to the final Book of Revelation in the New Testament, the Earth suffers from “seven Plagues” — from disease to “intense heat” and drought, then finally a shower of deadly hailstones.
Then comes the Apocalypse, the final judgment of man and the destruction of the world by fire.
Perhaps this is an ideal time for religious fanatics to start their fear mongering that the end is near. If it motivates governments around the world to take the climate crisis a little more seriously it may be beneficial. However it’s doubtful that will be the case. We haven’t reached the tipping point yet. Sill, it is in our best interests to elect politicians who will help work to avert reaching that point. To do this, we must start taking better care of our environment, including the parks and recreational areas that we all enjoy.
1Reuters Greenpeace video found on Youtube — Drone footage shows extent of Arctic ice loss
New analysis from Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) shows that current regulations will reduce emissions by less than 30 per cent in 2025, instead of the 40 to 45 per cent commitment – a gap of at least 10 per cent.
And yet the federal government is proceeding with agreements to allow the three Western provinces to implement their own rules.
Despite this significant gap.
And without a clear, concrete plan to close it.
There are well understood and cost-effective ways to reduce emissions from oil and gas operations. Not closing this methane gap means giving up on the cheapest, most effective GHG reductions.
Horgan said the plan involved an “unprecedented amount of resources between provincial budgets” and “historic times call for a historic response.”
Previously announced spending in the plan includes $300 million to train and hire around 7,000 frontline health-care workers and $45.6 million for the school restart.
An additional $660 million in tax rebates for small and medium businesses that hire new employees or invest in equipment was also announced, on top of the $1.5 billion in spending. Government estimates the tax breaks alone could support up to 80,000 jobs across the province.
More than half of the $1.5-billion recovery fund is earmarked for business and employment supports, with $416 million to go towards employment supports and jobs retraining and $404 million for business recovery efforts.
But the premier again dodged multiple questions about whether the package could be interpreted as an election platform, saying he had not yet made a decision on whether to go to the polls.
Dogwood BC is a Canadian non-profit public interest group based in Victoria, British Columbia. The organization works to increase the power of British Columbians over government decision-making.
Kai Nagata, Dogwood writer said, “Our politicians are drilling holes in the lifeboat, while we bail out the water. They’re shovelling your money into the gaping jaws of oil and gas, to pay for more fracking and pipelines. It has to stop.
“Yesterday’s green jobs announcement included $17 million for walking paths and bike lanes. $8 million toward energy efficiency in new buildings. $2 million for retrofits. Zero for renewable energy. The lack of ambition is stunning.
“That’s why it’s so crucial to kill fossil fuel subsidies in B.C. It’s not only the first step in reducing our emissions – it would free up a billion dollars a year for the war on climate change.”
For a man up for re-election who won hist last election on being a better environmental steward, there are a lot of people who have become dissatisfied with the little accomplished. Especially so when they see billions of dollars going out the door to support fossil fuels.
The waning of concern about climate change may also be because Canada
has so far dodged many of the bullets climate change usually fires in
our direction. Events like 100-degree Fahrenheit temperatures in Siberia
or inferno-level 54 Celsius (130F) in Death Valley, California, seem
less threatening if there are no headlines about fires, floods and
hurricanes in this country. Until smoke from the west coast fires began
drifting east this week, this summer’s drought in New Brunswick and
parts of Nova Scotia was about the worst of it for Canadians.
But while good luck and the pandemic pushed climate change down the
issues agenda, the federal government’s economic response to COVID-19
also provided cover for more subsidies to the oil and gas industry. In
April, the feds gave $1.7 billion to clean up abandoned wells in Alberta
and its two neighbouring provinces, and $750 million for emissions
reduction measures, costs that should be borne by the industry. The
Liberals also offered expanded credit support for small and medium-sized
energy companies through the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC)
and Export Development Canada (EDC).
