Saturday, December 19, 2009

Harper's Climate Change Strategy: Stay Just Behind the Curve

Yes it is PROBABLY RIGHT to say that something is better than nothing--although it could be worse than nothing if it lulls people into thinking that it is enough. I am also willing to believe that Canada did play a constructive role in putting together a minimal agreement--since that is all that Harper and Prentice wanted in the first place.

I am a Canadian, and as such am frustrated by my government's attitude that it will only do what the Americans do--in order to avoid the economic cost disadvantage that Canadian industries would suffer if we did better. Accordingly, the only green technology that Canadian governments have invested heavily in is carbon sequestration--because that is an investment in the oil industry.

These are the actions of government that doesn't really believe in climate change. If it did, it would recognize that costs of adapting to catastrophic climate change completely dwarf the costs to industry that it is apparently most worried about. It would also recognize that there are economic benefits and opportunities galore in being ahead of the curve, instead of staying doggedly just behind it.

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