We are living in a climate emergency. Canada's government admits that. But as Seth Klein has brilliantly shown inA Good War, provincial and federal policies fall far short of the scale of the challenge. One reason for Canada's laggardly climate policies is the economic, cultural and political power of the fossil fuel industries.
The same week Canada and countries around the world committed to even more ambitious emissions targets, B.C. delivered a budget with lacklustre commitment to climate change and the environment, critics say.
Six Extinction Rebellion protesters have been cleared of causing criminal damage to Shell’s London headquarters despite the judge directing jurors that they had no defence in law.
Without a transition plan, advocates say oil and gas workers fill face involuntary layoffs and a lack of options for retraining. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press)
“Whatever our world leaders are 'doing' to reduce emissions, they are doing it wrong … Our political leaders have failed us … We have to understand what the older generation has dealt to us, what mess they have created that we have to clean up and live with.” — Greta Thunberg
The primary force overheating our planet, destabilizing our climate, and acidifying our oceans is the CO2 humans are dumping into the atmosphere.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Ed Markey just introduced a new plan to employ millions of Americans in good-paying jobs that respond to climate change. Who’s in?
ci•vil•ian clim•ate corps
noun
1. A new, national program to put Americans to work on environmental projects that slow climate change and mitigate its effects.
Though set in the UK, the article below applies equally to other countries, where the illusion that we can "persuade" elected champions of corporate profiteering to support progressive causes is a self-defeating diversion from our real task. As stated in the article, this is "the building of alternative institutions of collective power and decision making, outside of the state." With most politicians it's not a question of not comprehending reality or of worrying that more radical policies will alienate middle-of-the-road voters.
Sometimes realisation comes in a blinding flash. Blurred outlines snap into shape and suddenly it all makes sense. Underneath such revelations is typically a much slower-dawning process. Doubts at the back of the mind grow. The sense of confusion that things cannot be made to fit together increases until something clicks. Or perhaps snaps.
