I’m on my way to Washington DC with 20 other Canadian climate activists, to join forces with 330 Americans from across the United States who are concerned that future generations will inherit a harsh and unforgiving world because of the climate crisis. The Citizens Climate Lobby diaspora collecting in D.C. intends to lobby almost every office on Capitol Hill, focusing specifically on introducing a straightforward price on carbon, through carbon fee and dividend legislation.
While in Washington I will get the opportunity to hear climate hero Dr. James Hansen, recently retired from NASA, speak to the Citizens Climate Lobby volunteers. Wish me luck on my quest for a photo with him!
Why am I, and these other Canadians, traveling all the way to Washington to lobby American politicians about the climate crisis? Our current Canadian federal government has made it clear that Canada’s energy and climate policy is tied to that of the United States; as the U.S. goes so will Canada, says Stephen Harper. It is in our interests to work to create the political will for a sustainable climate in DC as well as in Ottawa.
The oil-industry-friendly government of Stephen Harper has been overtly hostile to pricing carbon pollution. A new report out of MIT sheds some light on the possible reasons for this animosity:
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More links:
MIT Joint Program on the Science and Policy Of Global Change: Report 183