Moving Forward on Climate Change

Sustainable Canada Dialogues (SCD) sent an open letter to Prime Minister Trudeau prior to his talks with his provincial counterparts in Vancouver this week urging him and the premiers that the best investment for Canada does not lie in infrastructure for fossil fuels.“We’re trying to bring our best perspective as to what’s going on in the global oil market and what are the good investments for Canada,” said James Byrne, a climatologist at the University of Lethbridge. “Refocusing investment on renewable energy providers would shift oil and pipeline workers to building energy production systems that take advantage of Canada’s renewable energy potential. The transition to a low-carbon society and economy will enhance prosperity and well-being, modernize infrastructure, develop regional renewable energy sources, and create new businesses and new jobs.”

In a second letter to the ministers, a group of 50 executives from British Columbia’s clean technology industry has proposed a series of multibillion-dollar incentives for what they say is Canada’s next source of economic growth--clean tech solutions.

Surely, our government leaders realize that we need to move forward to a carbon neutral economy, as 60 of this country's scientists have pointed out, the evidence is clear, and we are not going to get there by staying mired in the same old, same old, it is possible to develop innovative transition strategies.