I always admired that great philosopher Pogo. I still remember the picture of he and a friend looking out over their polluted swamp as he uttered those immortal words, “We have met the enemy and he is us.” No scapegoating. It was their swamp and they had messed it up.
Continue readingTag: Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Carbon49 – Sustainability for Canadian businesses: Canada Election: Environmental Platforms and Impact On Business
For the first time in a Canadian federal election, the environment is a leading campaign issue. We highlight each of the five major parties’ green platform as related to business. We then survey some notable analyses from Clean Energy Canada, EnviroEconomics, Clean Prosperity, Maclean’s, Chatelaine, and Policy Options. Pledge to
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Environmental Defence study concludes Canada’s emissions would soar if CAPP’s wish list were granted
Research published this morning by Environmental Defence Canada concludes adoption of the powerful Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers lobby group’s election wish list would increase Canadian greenhouse gas emissions by 116 million tonnes of CO² by 2030. “In that scenario, Canada’s oil and gas sector would be emitting 311 million
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Friday Morning Links
Assorted content to end your week. – Mia Rabson reports on a new Climate Action Network report card showing that Canada’s plans for greenhouse gas emissions are as bad as any in the G8, projecting to lead to the same 4 degree temperature increase which would result from from Donald
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Sunday Morning Links
This and that for your Sunday reading. – Noah Smith comments that while we shouldn’t necessarily try to adjust GDP for other necessary elements of individual and social well-being, we should avoid treating it as a catch-all measure in assessing policy choices: GDP does have plenty of flaws, even as
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Friday Morning Links
Assorted content to end your week. – Ainslie Cruickshank reports on new polling showing that most Canadians support a transition to a clean energy economy even without having received much information about the path to get there. And Yvonne Hanson writes that a Green New Deal will only work if
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: A tar sands story
Canadian Natural Resources, Canada’s largest oil and gas producer, has set an ambitious goal regarding greenhouse gas emissions. It has announced that by applying advanced technology, including carbon capture and storage, it will attempt to reduce the emissions from its tar sands operations to effectively zero. A laudable goal. This
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Monday Morning Links
Miscellaneous material to start your week. – Aditya Chakrabortty writes about the dangers of accepting gross inequality based on the hope that billionaires will make up in charity what they fail to contribute in tax revenue: For the super-rich, giving is really taking. Taking power, that is, from the rest
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: Alberta isn’t immune to global warming
Living in Alberta one often gets the impression that when it comes to energy and the environment, promoting the oil industry is top priority while dealing with global warming is an afterthought. The premier has said he accepts that anthropogenic climate change is real, but he never shows much interest
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Air Travel And Climate Change
Having recently returned from Newfoundland to attend my son’s wedding, I can claim no green virtue when it comes to flying. Indeed, I know there will be more flights in the future when we visit him and his wife in Edmonton. So I really am a hypocrite when it comes
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Tuesday Morning Links
This and that for your Tuesday reading. – David Roberts writes about the developing recognition that we all bear responsibility for consumption emissions – though even better would be a focus on limiting emissions produced, consumed and exported alike. Daniel Masoliver examines some of the steps we can take as
Continue readingCarbon49 – Sustainability for Canadian businesses: Catherine McKenna on Carbon Tax, Green Investments, Election
At the 2019 Collision Conference Canada’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change Catherine McKenna shared a panel discussion with Jonathan Baillie, Executive Vice President and Chief Scientist of the National Geographic Society. They discussed Canada’s commitment to fighting climate change. At the press conference that followed, I talked to the Minister about the
Continue readingCarbon49 – Sustainability for Canadian businesses: Catherine McKenna on Carbon Tax, Green Investments, Election
At the 2019 Collision Conference Canada’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change Catherine McKenna shared a panel discussion with Jonathan Baillie, Executive Vice President and Chief Scientist of the National Geographic Society. They discussed Canada’s commitment to fighting climate change. At the press conference that followed, I talked to the Minister about the
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Monday Morning Links
Miscellaneous material to start your week. – Ed Miliband writes that there’s no contradiction between a climate change plan and an effective economic strategy – and to the contrary, they can and should be entirely aligned. And the Guardian’s editorial board recognizes the need to get to net zero emissions
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Sunday Morning Links
This and that for your Sunday reading. – Angela Rayner writes about the distinction between limited social mobility and genuine social justice, while highlighting UK Labour’s commitment to the latter: (T)he role of our education system is not just about helping a lucky, talented few rise to the top, but
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Tuesday Morning Links
This and that for your Tuesday reading. – Peter Eavis points out how U.S. CEOs are only seeing their exorbitant pay soar even further due to Donald Trump’s tax giveaways. Kara Swisher interviews Anand Giridharadas about how “philanthropists” are bribing the public with small parts of the obscene concentrations money
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Saturday Morning Links
Assorted content for your weekend reading. – Leslie Hook offers a reminder of the dangers of methane as a particularly damaging type of carbon emission which is both associated largely with fossil fuel production, and poorly tracked when it is emitted. And the Edmonton Journal makes the case for Jason
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Wednesday Morning Links
Miscellaneous material for your mid-week reading. – Karl Nerenberg writes that the ultimate test of the public’s willingness to facilitate a climate breakdown is fast approaching – but that the parties pushing delay and denial may be surprised with the outcome. Brett Chandler challenges the argument that we’re somehow entitled
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: What Are We To Make of Justin Trudeau?
To a few, he’s the best person ever, a truly decent man and a great prime minister. To a different few, he’s the worst person ever, utterly corrupt, even venal. I don’t believe either of them. He is flawed. He is not to be trusted. He’ll break his promises without
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: New column day
Here, pointing out how Drawdown‘s list of emission reductions which are possible based on peer-reviewed research into current technology (which received recent attention thanks to a CNN quiz and Vox update) only makes all the more clear the political divide on climate change. For further reading…– Bill McKibben highlights the
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