Canada and the United States Worst on Climate Change
So how is it that two of the world's most affluent countries are the worst climate polluters in the G8 group of nations?
The World Wildlife Fund and German insurance giant Allianz SE, ranked the U.S. last among the G8 and Canada second to last because they've done so little to curb emissions of greenhouse gases.
Dr. Joachim Faber, holding board member of Allianz SE, said: “The G8 countries have a responsibility to be high achievers in the race against climate change. They need to be role models trail-blazing the way to steer the world towards a low carbon, clean energy economy.”
Here are the rankings from best to worst:
1. United Kingdom
2. France
3. Germany
4. Italy
5. Japan
6. Russia
7. Canada
8. United States
TAGS: Canada, climate change, g8 nations greenhouse gas, global warming, Government Policy, greenhouse gas emissions by country, Kevin Grandia, US
one big factor
How did this happen? In part, it is our own fault.
Step 1. Canada has had busy and vocal deniers for years, first denying the warming and then denying the science that revealed human contributions to warming.
Step 2. The Media buys in and promotes the deniers as authorities.
Step 3. Those who know better have rarely challenged the deniers, for whatever reasons. Not only are the incorrect claims not confronted, but even purported violations of law, reports of elections irregularities, charges of mishandled funds, and lengthy frivolous lawsuits are overlooked.
Step 4. A portion of Canada who should be leaders are instead swayed by the immediate and future gains in terms of less expensive development and greater returns on investments for stockholders, which will result from not taking action.
Therefore, given this scenario, it is only natural that Canada has done little, and also quite natural that this has affected the outcome of elections.
And therefore, the work of DESMOGBLOG has never been more important! The group deserves a medal.
Dan Johnson
Cannot help but wonder about
Cannot help but wonder about action from the national level as well. Well lack of action I mean, I have a feeling minority governments might be partially responsible for this.
The liberals, struggling to maintain their minority under Martin, seemed almost unwilling to risk any action on meeting the objectives of the Kyoto protocol. The Conservatives, while proclaiming climate change is one of the most important challenges of our time, seem very much the same, on the edge of a minority unwilling to do anything much. Trying not to cause any public backlash by regulation or taxation.
Think that might be a part of it as well?
I can't believe it's not butter
I'm very surprised that Japan was beaten out by Italy. I think the last three were predictable. Canada's crappy progress can be explained in part by what Dan Johnson mentioned. He experienced it first hand, as even challenging obvious falsehoods from AGW-deniers resulted in a lengthy, frivolous, (costly) lawsuit by Tim Ball against him. No wonder there are too few challenges to their garbage (you deserve a medal, btw, Dan). But it's also about personal bias. In BC we've got the carbon tax on gasoline, now, and when people are asked to fork out money or take blame or whatever, they can get defensive and seek a scapegoat or downplay the problem. I got a cheque for $100 a couple of weeks ago to offset the tax and I have a friend who, despite receiving a cheque like me, thought this tax unfairly targetted her (she has a 45 minute commute). When I tried to calculate that the tax means she'll spend about $50 more for gas, so she's $50 ahead, she would not hear of it. She didn't use a good argument -- like the issue of marginal cost increases on other goods -- she just refused to consider it at all. This is likely to be a problem going forward.
Oilsands
Go to www.canadasoilsands.ca for good information on these issues. It's an oil company site, but it's surprisingly balanced. They have links to environmental groups on their site. And there's a good discussion forum. I am a Canadian and Albertan and I came across this site I am trying find some more information on the tar sands and this one seems to be good.
Tar Sands
For anyone who'd like to know more about the Tar Sands, contact Greenpeace. I anyone thinks they can trust an oil sands website to get the truth, they must be very naive. Good example? Syncrude's tailings recently killed 500 birds and they never reported it. Is that on this website? It's only the tip of the iceberg. If you'd like more information, subscribe to Greenpeace and get their magazine and see the article, "Who's watching the tar sands?" Fortunately, now Greenpeace is.
Mike.