Those with undying affection for, and advocacy of, fossil fuels are indulging in a venal nostalgia for the way things were. They cling to past truths about price differentials that allegedly make green energy too costly. They continue to claim that green energy, if produced during the day via solar panels, cannot meet night-time demand, a problem rapidly being addressed by quickly-evolving storage systems, the very same systems utilized when there is no wind powering wind turbines.
Their arguments, designed to protect assets doomed to become stranded are, to put it succinctly, running out of steam.
Indeed, Toronto Star letter-writer Sheri Kimura, of Toronto, is of the view that the federal government's purchase of the Trans Mountain pipeline truly makes Justin Trudeau a yesterday man:
Since the Trudeau government purchased the Trans Mountain pipeline (meaning that we, as taxpayers, funded the purchase), it seems like good business to ensure that the Canadian public is educated about how much the project costs, what the expected profit might be and which markets we are serving. China plans to convert all it’s vehicles to clean energy in this generation, and Volkswagen — the single-largest car manufacturer in the world — is planning on making it’s entire fleet electric by 2025. Seems like a strange move to push a commodity that the largest available markets are phasing out. When Canada has so much money and potential for clean energy, why is anyone in our government, from any party, still pushing an antiquated commodity?
Even if we doubt the economic windfalls of clean energy, we cannot deny the weakening of the carbon-based industry and the decline in demand for oil. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has made a terrible business decision on behalf of Canada. Any politician who pursues increased oil development is not making an economically-sound decision — they are simply sentimental about Canada’s oil-rich past and aging identity. We need political leaders with the clarity of mind to embrace (and make profitable) the inevitable change in Canada’s natural resources sector. Only then will our country truly progress, and our country’s identity will finally be free to evolve as well.
It is a political decision, one that rises above economic and scientific realities. Trudeau sees this as a political imperative. The fossil fuelers have him on the run. With his myopia and lack of courage, stopping this will be a matter for a better leader, if one is ever found.
ReplyDeleteWe still treat this as a mid-range issue, not an immediate concern and there's a lot of 'whistling past the graveyard' involved. Trudeau is more cowardly than malevolent.
Trudeau's limitations become increasingly apparent as we move deeper and deeper into crisis, Mound.
DeleteI note that electric vehicles are being produced by all the car companies -- American and others -- Lorne. That should send a pretty clear signal.
ReplyDeleteExpect continuing interference from the usual suspects, Owen.
Delete