Are you weary yet of all the talk of climate change? I’m getting there. But I do have to tell you something that really, really bugs me. In case you don’t already know, David Suzuki is telling our children that the North Pole is melting and that Santa Claus has to find a new home. He has set up a “Where Will Santa Live?” website. However, if you give money to his foundation, he will save Santa. Wow, what a saint!
And then there are the climate conferences. For the last 17 years, thousands of people from all over the world gather together in exotic places at this time of year for climate conferences. And each year the carbon footprint of these conferences is astronomical. If they were genuinely concerned about carbon emissions, you would think they would find another way. And also each year, when it’s over, there is the same feeling that not very much was accomplished. Sure, they always report that they came away with something, (like maybe agree to continue talking) but in all reality nothing much changes.
This year, Canada is the bad guy for wanting to withdraw from Kyoto. In doing so, it saves Canada from having to pay an estimated $7 billion in penalties, so I would say it was a good move. It should be noted however, that although we are withdrawing from Kyoto, Canada is still making progress on lowering carbon emissions, especially in the oilsands, even though you never hear that from the media.
California is also doing its part. It is leading the states in reducing its carbon emissions. Mary D. Nichols, chairwoman of the California Air Resources Board, said this about the Durban conference, “Instead of waiting for them to negotiate some grand bargain, we have to keep working on the ground. Progress is going to come from the bottom up, not the top down.”
If more people thought like her, we would be much further ahead.
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