Here we are again on the cusp of another emergency declaration, as western North America burns to the ground, due to the underlying emergency of human-caused climate change. We need to question why there has been little to no progress in reducing CO2 in the atmosphere, despite an emergency declaration by Parliament and dire warnings by scientists for at least 60 years. Instead our government purchased an oil pipeline and a pipeline construction project to encourage even more oil production that will only add to the basic problem. Our provincial government is no better, by subsidizing and cheerleading LNG projects and continued destruction of old growth forest carbon sinks, both of which add considerably to atmospheric CO2.
At what point will we recognize that these decisions are criminally negligent?
There is a lot of talk now about needing to adaptâ€that it is too late to avoid climate change. To a certain extent, that is true, but the real question is, how far is adaptation possible? The progression of climate change won’t stop just because we adapt to current conditions. The worse it gets, the more we will have to adapt. Where is the end point? What will we say to our grandchildren when it is all gone, everything has been consumed and the struggle to survive will be the final emergency?
Acting now to minimize climate change is the only answer. The cost will certainly be more, the more we delay.
Roy Howard
Dunster, B.C.
