Moderate action won’t stop climate change

Re: “Climate change too important for politics,” column, Dec. 9. Lawrie McFarlane writes that governments should be moderate in taking steps to combat global warming or they will face pushback. The problem is that being moderate won’t stop global warming. It would lead to the biggest catastrophe ever faced by humankind, and that’s not hyperbole. To paraphrase Al Gore: “With global warming, there will be no civilization.”

The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s recent report reflects a conservative consensus by governments worldwide on climate findings of the world’s leading scientists. For example, the U.S., Saudi Arabia, Russia and other climate-change deniers agreed with the wording line by line.

It states that we must urgently reduce our greenhouse gases by 45 per cent within 12 years or overshoot 1.5 C warming, after which we are likely to lose control of further warming. We must be carbon-neutral within 30 years to maintain 1.5 C. Meanwhile, Canada individually is headed for 5 C warming while pretending that it’s 1.5 C — we’re doing far more than our fair share to make the planet unlivable. The IPCC’s report has been reinforced by others since.

The public is going to have to lead by demanding unequivocal and effective action. Massive change is required. Some of that will be inspiring and some painful, but there’s no alternative. Rob Garrard Victoria