Dear Editor:
Millennials, it’s up to you. My generation has completely failed to address the climate change problem. You are in an age bracket where you can be excused for thinking that the Paris climate accord signed in 2015 was the seminal event that will put the planet on a course to address this problem. Unfortunately, that is not the case.
Scientists in Canada started to raise concerns about climate change in the late 1980s. It rose to prominence at the international level when negotiations through the United Nations, culminated in signing of the Framework Convention on Climate Change in 1992. This gave authority to conduct further work to lay the proper foundation for tackling this problem – scientific study, atmospheric monitoring, modeling, emissions inventories, climate impacts, etc.
In 1997, the Kyoto Protocol was signed which committed signatory countries to start the process of reducing emissions of greenhouse gases. This was a legally binding agreement which many countries, including Canada signed on to. Canada withdrew from this agreement in 2011 because the Harper government, which had no intention of meeting the obligations set out in the agreement, withdrew to avoid facing penalties.
There were other international commitments made at other times between 1997 and 2016 – for example the Copenhagen Agreement in 2009, which also fell by the wayside. Canada was also party to these agreements.
This brings us to this year and this federal election. The Trudeau government claims to be on track to meet the commitments in the Paris Accord. Unfortunately, based on the government’s own data that will not happen.
Andrew Scheer and the Conservative Party have set out their own climate change agenda which can only be described as “words on paper.” There is nothing in their platform or in any announcements to date which would suggest that they are serious about meeting the Paris Accord commitments.
The NDP and Green Party have laid out more robust platforms. But it remains unclear to me whether their plans would meet the goals of the Paris Accord within the stated timelines.
It is important to keep in mind that scientists have identified that there is likely to be a ‘tipping point’ that will be reached on the next 11 years, beyond which it will not be possible to reverse the changes. So, if you want a government that will seriously tackle climate change it looks like the only way that will happen is if there is a minority government elected that needs NDP or Green support to stay in power.
My encouragement to you is to vote with your conscience, your children and grandchildren’s future will depend on it. The time for action is now.
Given that Michael Chong and Ted Arnott have been long-serving politicians federally and provincially, it would be interesting to get their non-partisan perspective as to why successive governments have chosen not to take this issue seriously.
Victor Shantora,
Elora