Wednesday, December 11, 2019

More Evidence That The Emperor Has No Clothes



The Mound notified me that he is having problems accessing his blog, and so directed me to the following story. Given the stellar job he has been doing on the climate file and other issues relating to the earth's viability, I know my post will be a mere shadow of the quality and depth he brings to bear, but here goes anyway.

The Guardian reports a truth about Justin Trudeau that his supporters are loathe to acknowledge: despite his election pledge, he is leading us farther away from any chance of meeting Canada's promised greenhouse gas emission reduction targets.
... Justin Trudeau’s newly re-elected government will decide whether to throw more fuel on the fires of climate change by giving the go-ahead to construction of the largest open-pit oil sands mine in Canadian history.

Approving Teck Resources’ Frontier mine would effectively signal Canada’s abandonment of its international climate goals. The mega mine would operate until 2067, adding a whopping 6 megatonnes of climate pollution every year. That’s on top of the increasing amount of carbon that Canada’s petroleum producers are already pumping out every year.

Approving Teck Resources’ Frontier mine would effectively signal Canada’s abandonment of its international climate goals. The mega mine would operate until 2067, adding a whopping 6 megatonnes of climate pollution every year. That’s on top of the increasing amount of carbon that Canada’s petroleum producers are already pumping out every year.
And despite Trudeau's repeated and lofty rhetoric about consulting Indigenous people, this project has grave implications for them:
The Teck mega mine would be on Dene and Cree territory, close to Indigenous communities. The area is home to one of the last free-roaming herds of wood bison, it’s along the migration route for the only wild population of endangered whooping cranes, and is just 30km from the boundary of Wood Buffalo national park – a Unesco world heritage site because of its cultural importance and biodiversity.
Most Canadians are aware of the filthy nature of tar sand development, but even if this project does not go ahead, much further damage is being planned:
Even without Teck Frontier, there are 131 megatonnes per year in approved tar sands projects just waiting for companies to begin construction. No wonder the industry is on track to take up 53% of Canada’s emissions budget within the next 10 years.
And the signs that Trudeau is giving little more than lip service to emission-reduction is becoming very evident:
Less than two months ago, two-thirds of Canadians voted for parties vowing to do more to fight climate change. Trudeau promised during the campaign to introduce legally binding targets for Canada to reach net zero emissions by 2050. But all the current national climate policies, including a carbon tax and coal phase-out, would be overwhelmed by this carbon juggernaut and Canada would radically fail to meet its climate commitments.
There are alternatives:
By rejecting the Teck mega mine, the Canadian government could signal that it is committed to stopping this runaway train. That it does represent the two-thirds of Canadians who voted for increased action against climate breakdown. It could launch a serious program to help the oil and gas workers of Alberta, the people who are out of work and need a future to believe in, by redirecting the many billions of dollars for pipelines and fossil fuel infrastructure into diversifying and decarbonizing Alberta’s economy.

In rejecting the Teck mega mine, Canada would be joining France, Costa Rica, New Zealand, Norway and recently California – all jurisdictions that have recently constrained expansion of oil and gas due to the urgent need to build cleaner safer energy systems and fight climate change.
Based on the Trudeau government's past performance, I would say the odds of the Teck project being approved are great. But I would very much welcome being proven wrong.

4 comments:

  1. Oh, no. The idealism was merely an election ploy.

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  2. .. scrapped my 1st comment..
    I tie such news ad the Teck open pit into the evolving morass.. of the Alberta Conundrum.. I also tie it into my evolving perceptions or knowlege of political party or governmental behaviour.. also connect it to my views and knowlege re Canada's Environment. Adding such news into my growing perceptions re Climate Change, and its no wonder I find it hard to aim or arm my scathing reactions.

    I have already commented on several Indy blogs plus Twitter re the overall picture and re the specifics of the Teck Mine. More and more I ask re the 'business case', the implications.. and how this fits with the astonishing rationale of 'Increasing Emissions to Lower Emissions'.. and the litany of talking points.. Growing The Economy - Nation Building - blah blah the Middle Class..

    Can't wait for the shrill pronouncement of 'Notwithstanding' or 'Paramountcy' being employed.. as if it was the collective will of the Canadian peoples. That will be Trudeau turning on the First Nations. What next ? Our armed forces in the boreal or mountain passes ?

    Does anyone else notice how the Jason Kenney War Room koolaid tastes remarkably like the Trudeau, Butts, Morneau koolaid now ? Its all about 'landlocked' 'all that wealth' 'tidewater' and the mysterious 'new markets' for Bitumen synthetic oil slurry aboard 1/2 full supertankers exiting Burnaby BC due to the shallow Second Narrows and on into The Salish Sea.

    If there are no eager hungry 'new markets'.. (presumably some Asian nations) .. the slurry is southbound as usual to Washington State or on to California.. transiting the Panama Canal, Houston bound ? Seems a long shot

    Canadians are being fed garbage by sold out political animals.. and by sold out Mainstream Media as well as by disturbed evangelical religious factions.. That's bad medicine the unholy trio is pimping endlessly. Its like we're little children or that we can be taken for fools..

    I will keep my burner on simmer..
    watch, read, learn, listen.. and speak and write

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    Replies
    1. I have nothing to add to your trenchant observations, Sal. They say it all.

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