The Written Word: Rafe Mair Feb7th
By Rafe Mair
Wednesday, February 07, 2007 03:46 AM
A common human trait is to make perfection the enemy of improvement. This is now well at play in the environmental field.
We can’t do Kyoto, it’s said, because it’s just not possible. This has been the cry of those who need a new argument against doing anything. Moreover, as long as the US and China won’t honour Kyoto, why should we?
In a sense, this is like a suicide note. I can’t live forever so I’m not going to try to stay healthy.
Of course Canada can’t bring itself up the standard she might have reached had she started on time. Canada was one of the first countries to sign the Kyoto Protocol, on April 29, 1998. Formal ratification came more than four years later - on Dec. 17, 2002.
It’s also true to say that the atmosphere cannot be saved, if it can be at all, without participation by China and the US. But that can’t stop us, surely, from doing what we should - by doing our part, if you will.
It is the obligation of the entire world to save the planet. Because some countries won’t accept their share of responsibility, or any share at all, makes it all the more important that Canada leads by example. It can do more, of course. It can keep up the pressure during trade talks, through the UN, and one on one diplomacy.
It’s going to be a hell of a tough sell. Politicians don’t like to make any financial commitment past the current fiscal year and even if they can force themselves to make an exception, they don’t want to spend money the electoral return for which won’t come for decades after they’ve left office.
But we must press on. If we and others take the lead, others may follow. If they don’t, catastrophe is certain. Canadians will share that catastrophe but we’ll know, as a justifiable boost to national pride, that we tried.
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Posted by: Chadermando on February 7 2007 8:08 AM
Rafe is making the argument we need to cut more than our share to subsidize the export of oil from the tar sands unless he wants to be honest and adress the tar sands issue specifically. His hypothetical catastrophe is used to 'sell' the tax payer financing of an unspecified solution to the hystaria he tries to flame.
I think if you are going to blow the smoke, then the least you can do is provide your opinion on a potential solution to the problem you raise.
Canada's problem is the tar sands. Solution....