NOW IS THE TIME!
Blog #12 Beyond Sustainability:
Shifting to Security of life Essentials
Advanced Release Nov. 28, 2022
COP 27 Egypt, held earlier this month, rather unceremoniously cooked our goose and virtually gave up any attempt to reinforce Net Zero 2050 Sustainability Goals. Many governments are ranting about it but few if any are actually doing anything close to what it will take.
Canada is among those countries that has never achieved a single GHG emissions reduction goal as committed as part of the IPCC COP process.
Earlier this week Greta Thunberg joined a group of young Swedes in a lawsuit against the Swedish Government for lack of action in its fight to combat climate change.
The four major global GHG emitters include USA, China, Russia, and India. All but the USA announced as part of COP 26 Glasgow that they would not achieve Net Zero 2050.
How did we shift so quickly .. and what lies beyond sustainability are the questions that we have to address and take much more seriously or face new vulnerabilities as a civilization in the face of the Climate Crisis Emergency.
Addressing the question of how did the whole world shift so quickly?
The answer in one long sentence: COVID, War in Ukraine, heightened starvation, catastrophic climate events on all continents, displaced populations of the already poor, disrupted global supply chains, inflation ..they are all connected and affected …. .mostly by the abundant use or shortage of fossil fuels….in short “The global energy crisis, climate change and global economic instability are all outcomes of our total reliance on oil.” NOW IS THE TIME! It’s Oil Stupid!
For good measure Bill Gates pipes in on behalf of the richest country in the world most recently saying: “asking people to consume less for the sake of the environment is a losing battle”.
It’s such a horrible message for the environmentally aware to have to absorb but just try to put any kind of a break on the insanity of Black Friday in Canada no less …..few of our Citizens even know how it originated!
Meanwhile, US President Biden’s administration openly talks about Sustainable Development supported by Economic Growth… seemingly with the best intentions! And yet, there can be no economic growth without more energy…. so the US is now willing to pump/mine/drill and consume more fossil fuels while purporting to be putting up a strong fight to cut GHG emissions.
Even in the richest country in the world there has proven to be no way to shut down coal production. Big Business is lock-step with the US government on increasing economic growth while magically advertising that their company will meet Net Zero 2050 Sustainability Goals ..in the oil patch relying on breakthrough Carbon Capture Technology that doesn’t currently exist.
PM Justin Trudeau is much plainer spoken than President Biden ..he has announced that if we cut GHG emissions from home heating with oil and natural gas …that will allow the country to increase oil production ..I guess as long as we export same it doesn’t affect us ..we will turn a blind eye as to how it is used downstream ……whatever happened to the mission of keeping oil & natural gas in the ground?
For those who were watching COP 27 proceedings you will know that the heralded success was the creation of a Climate Change Compensation Fund. It’s official but there are no enforceable rules or basis for paying into the fund by the major polluters nor compensations to the poorer countries for the pollution by the rich. I hate to be even more pessimistic…..however, each of India and China have at least a billion people that remain in poverty and have had very little to do with the cause of the global Climate Crisis. Who is going to help them escape the increased climate devastation caused by their own richer citizens?
Civil wars over life essentials including food, energy, water are almost certain to surface in these two supersized countries long before the western rich nations face their own music about the Climate Crisis Emergency.
So, the shift is now in full force in countries all over the world moving from mitigation of the effects of the Climate Crisis to adapting to the realities that lie ahead in a much different hotter world. Coal mines are being reopened all over the world for increased energy security. Even in the US it’s increasingly difficult for politicians to deny the need for fracking for oil & natural gas despite the devastation of the environment caused by the practice. The very idea of leaving the oil in the ground for the sake of the environment and our own self preservation is nothing but wishful thinking.
The Climate Crisis has caused increased intensity of hurricanes, storms, heat waves, floods and forest fires leading to homelessness followed quickly by food and water insecurity and often restricted health care options.
The only way to survive and thrive in the future may well be to reduce lengthy supply chains, build stronger communities that offer much greater security of life essentials including local energy, food, water and wellness practices, and a healthy breakaway from the likes of Black Friday that drains valuable resources from communities that need to invest in themselves.
Fred Irwin Author
NOW IS THE TIME !
www.fredirwinauthor.com