Parties must believe in climate change

DEAR EDITOR:

Even the most loyal Conservative supporter must recognize “the more you burn, the more you earn” is not a credible plan to reduce green house gases and combat global climate change.

Consequently, we have had a continual drip, drip, drip of deflection and misinformation from the usual suspects, all in an attempt to discredit climate science and mitigation strategies utilizing electric vehicles, solar panels and wind turbines.

In his recent letters to the editor, John Thompson would like us to believe “there’s nothing to see here folks” as we watch our drought and beetle-killed hills burn.

Yes, there were some hot summer days in parts of Canada and the U.S. in the dust bowl Thirties, but what about the rest of the world? What about the other seasons?

Canada’s (south of 60) average annual temperature has risen more than 2.2C since 1900, and over 1.7C since 1948 (all of Canada). This is much higher than the world average. Our winter temperatures for all of Canada have risen more than 3.3C since 1948.

At this point, Thompson might pivot to “What about China”?

China, with 30% of the world emissions is truly a problem. What Thompson doesn’t tell you is that they put the policy and measurement infrastructure in place earlier this year for a cap-and-trade-type carbon pricing. He did not tell you that China began emissions trading in July and it now costs Chinese producers to pollute. It may not be in time, but they have started.

Inevitably, Thompson will point out that Canada only represents about 1.6% of the world’s ghg emissions. What he does not tell you is that pollution is an area where Canada unfortunately “punches above our weight.”

Our ghg emissions are the population equivalent of a country of over 120 million. We rank as the top tenth ghg emitter in the world. We have a moral obligation, as a top 10 polluter, to show leadership and action in the international efforts to keep our planet cool.

We need to keep electing federal governments that believe in climate change, and are taking action on it.

That is not the Conservative Party.