UN Climate Summit

Today thousands marched worldwide to send a message to the politicians that the environment matters. Our elected leader has decided to forgo with perpetuating any illusion that he actually gives a damn about the environment, or what the people he supposedly represents want, and has chosen to skip the summit.

It seems like common sense but no one seems to care enough to listen. An economic model based upon perpetual growth on a planet with finite resources is not going to serve us as a viable species. It could be that the extreme right is correct, climate change is not going to kill us all, but if we are willing to destroy most of the planet to maintain our economic growth, does it not follow that we should be concerned whether or not that growth is sustainable within our current economic model? Whether or not you believe climate change to be a man-made phenomena, it cannot be denied that fossil fuels will not last forever. It is in the economy’s best interest if we diversify and shift our economic paradigm and embrace diversification.

Of course as long as the corporate establishment continues to make record profits for their shareholders, it is unlikely that they will be willing to shift to an economic model that requires them to give up a sure thing for anything else.

Change is coming whether we want it or not. It would be much better if we had a say in that change as opposed to having it thrust upon us by mother nature. It is time for us to stop allowing Harper to pit the environment against the economy.

“It’s really disappointing that none of the major parties has put climate change at the centre of their agenda and really developed economic policies that are based on credible science. You know, it seems that the price of admission for any politician who wants to be ‘taken seriously,’ quote un-quote, is to pick a pipeline and cheer for it.” - Naomi Klein (b. 1970)