MP Colin Mayes says the Harper government is “doing a reasonably good job” in addressing climate change (‘MP defends environmental record,’ Oct. 1). He should read the recent audit of Canada’s Environment Commissioner, which documents the government’s lack of action on climate change.
The audit rated the government’s progress in four key areas as unsatisfactory. A key deficiency is the government’s failure to set greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction targets for the oil and gas industry, Canada’s fastest-growing source of GHGs. The audit states that without regulating the oil and gas industry, Canada will be unable to meet its own target of reducing GHGs (17 per cent below 2005 levels by the year 2020).
I am utterly dismayed that Mr. Mayes continues to deny the science of climate change. He should see Thin Ice, a fascinating film depicting the vast array of field science on global warming. It shows how those who deny global warming is happening, and deny that human society is responsible, are tragically wrong.
He should also see the documentary, Disruption, created especially for the lead-up to the United Nations Emergency Summit Meeting on Global Climate Change. Its message is that without immediate strong action to address climate change, the world is on track for a warming of six degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. Scientists tell us that for a safe climate world, we must limit warming to no more than two degrees Celsius.
Mr. Mayes should recognize that the Harper government’s goals of security and economic progress for Canadians can be realized only in the context of a safe-climate world. But time is running out. Once the permafrost starts to melt, releasing massive amounts of methane, we will see catastrophic uncontrollable climate change, and it will be too late.
Anne Morris