Everyone knows that the climate changes, both warming and cooling, over the years.
This knowledge even includes those defined as “jeering climate change deniers.”
Where the difference lies is belief in whether or not mankind’s CO2 emissions are influencing the present warming cycle, which has been going on since the late 1800’s.
The suggestion is that our emissions are pushing us in the direction of “catastrophe.”
Personally, being the “denier” that I am, I do not believe we are heading for a “climate catastrophe.”
I have heard this song before, population explosion, global cooling, peak oil, etc all predicting the end of mankind. For me, the only “evidence” that I see are the “climate computer models.”
From past experience, I am asked to take this evidence with too large a grain of salt. But this time, those predicting doom say, “this time we are right!” and I say back, “riiiiiiiiight”.
And just in case you missed it, Robert Macrae (Environmental Technology Instructor at Selkirk) had an article on the opinion page of the March 5 Trail Times.
Mr. Macrae appears to believe that mankind’s use of fossil fuels will be the death of us and must be eliminated in Canada.
He suggests that it would be an easy transition away from fossil fuels and on to renewables. Not only that, he suggests that such a transition would cost next to nothing and would also guarantee 10’s of thousands of jobs along with a cleaner, cheaper, and carbon free economy.
Expecting that those employed in the fossil fuel industry could transition to full employment, building and installing solar panels and windmills and insulating houses, defies my belief.
But if you do “believe” in a climate emergency and need to do something about it, I might suggest that a better place to start would be in getting China and India to start reducing their emissions but I say, good luck with that.
Given my expectations of a “transition”, I am not, as Mr. Macrae would recommend, a fan of Canada attempting to follow Germany’s lead.
Germany increased their renewable share of total electricity generation from about zero to about 30 per cent with a resulting increase in the price of power of about 55 per cent.
German electricity prices are now the highest in Europe but I should acknowledge that they did manage to reduce their CO2 emissions by about a whopping 10 per cent.
Under Mr. Macrae’s playbook, I would expect to see Canadian electricity prices, presently about a third of those of Germany, to go up and more than match Germany’s accompanied by a similar 10 per cent reduction in emissions.
So for me, it comes down to – should we follow the German experiment, as per Mr. Macrae’s proposal? Should we follow Mr. Macrae’s proposal to transition?
Not in my world thanks.
Robin Siddall
Warfield