Dear Editor:
Each day I hear more alarming news pointing to an emerging climate change crisis of epic proportions. As the Earth warms and extreme weather events become increasingly common, hundreds of thousands perish each year.
In the second half of this century, the vast majority of humanity may perish from the droughts, floods and diseases that climate change is expected to bring. Experts estimate that by 2100, the Earth may only be able to support one billion people.
Yet it seems that rather than leading, our federal government is steering us down an ever accelerating course toward climate disaster. They allow our emissions to grow while obstructing international negotiations. They signed the Kyoto Protocol and then declared that they have no intention of meeting the reduction commitments. Climate change is humanity's biggest challenge, yet Canada is not making even the most modest effort to reduce this threat.
I respectfully urge all readers who are concerned about our children's right to a livable planet, to write to your government representative to demand urgent action to:
?Eliminate fossil fuel subsidies of well over $1 billion each year (about $40 for each Canadian). In 2009, Canada agreed to eliminate these subsidies. We have not done this.
We give our public money to hugely profitable industries which further accelerates the damage to our climate. This shows a reckless disregard for the climate crisis. We should not promote destruction of the climate with public funds.
Put a price on greenhouse gasses, and;
Support energy conservation and the development of clean renewable energy.
Ruth Walmsley, Burnaby
