33 days left until the first meetings start in Copenhagen, at the United Nations Climate Change Conference. This is the world’s chance to reverse climate change before we have gone too far down the road of irreversible changes to our planet, according to leading scientists. Unfortunately, it is politicians, not scientists, who are going to be at the table in Copenhagen. Here in Canada, where I live, we have Stephen Harper at the helm. Mr. Harper was a climate change denier for years when he was in opposition, and now he makes semi-politically correct noises about the environment, because Canadians do care about this issue. But the Conservative Party’s power base remains Alberta, the home of the horribly polluting and carbon dioxide emitting tar sands. So while Mr. Harper and his government make some sounds about doing something about climate change, there’s not much will for change there. Canada has received the “Fossil of the Day” award from the Climate Action Network so many times that it recently received the “Colossal Fossil” or Fossil of the Year award, because of its inaction on this issue and its willingness to go the extra mile to thwart genuine action internationally on climate change. What an embarrassment for Canadians!
As we approach Copenhagen, get active – call or write a letter/email to your elected representative – local and national. In Canada, contact Stephen Harper, and Jim Prentice, Minister of the Environment. Let them know that Canadians care about the future. Once you’ve contacted them, and you still feel that you would like to do more, find out what’s going on in your community. The time is now. Remember – 350 or bust!