Canada and global warming: a state of denial 2

ExxonMobil, with a score of -23%, is ranked dead last in Standard & Poor's list of the 500 largest companies in the US when it comes to racial equity and environmental racism. Four other fossil fuel companies (Kinder Morgan, Valero, Marathon, and Occidental Petroleum) made the list of the worst ten on the list. Even the top two firms, Microsoft and CVS, only received 60% on this measurement. Of course these terrible scores were not only due to placing polluting and environmentally damaging fossil fuel facilities in non-white neighbourhoods, but also scoring extremely low on hiring and promotion possibilities, thereby providing more evidence of the intersectionality of life.

ExxonMobil got last place on As You Sow’s racial justice scorecard, in large part due to its pollution of nonwhite communities in Beaumont, Texas. John Nacion / SOPA Images / LightRocket via Getty Images

ExxonMobil isn’t exactly known for being an environmental justice champion. But according to a scorecard published last week, the oil major is dead last among the S&P 500 companies when it comes to racial equity and environmental racism.

The scorecard was compiled by the shareholder advocacy group As You Sow, whose racial justice initiative aims to hold large corporations responsible for their contributions to systemic racism. It released an earlier version of the scorecard in March, evaluating the 500 largest publicly traded companies on 26 racial justice performance indicators — things like workplace diversity, promotion rates of employees of color, and donations to organizations fighting for racial justice.

But following criticism that the scorecard failed to capture big polluters’ impact on nonwhite communities, an update from As You Sow puts environmental justice front and center. One new criterion rewards companies for acknowledging environmental justice issues, and three others dock points from firms that have violated environmental regulations, incurred pollution penalties, or harmed nonwhite communities. This update, said Olivia Knight, manager of As You Sow’s Racial Justice Initiative, has helped paint a more complete racial justice profile for each company. “We see the environmental and racial justice as completely linked,” Knight said. “You can’t have racial justice without acknowledging and remedying environmental justice.”

The evaluation’s results weren’t rosy for any of the S&P 500 companies — Microsoft and CVS, tied for first place, got a total score of only 60 percent — but the energy sector stood out for its particularly bad performance. Overall, the sector scored an average of just 3 percent, with seven companies’ scores dipping into the negative numbers — meaning that their actions had done more harm than good to low-income and nonwhite communities. Fossil fuel producers made up half of the scorecard’s worst 10 companies on racial justice, with ExxonMobil at the very bottom, along with other oil and gas firms like Marathon Petroleum and Valero Energy.

According to Knight, the energy companies’ low scores were largely attributable to the sector’s ongoing legacy of polluting nonwhite communities. Across environmental justice criteria, all of the S&P 500’s 23 energy companies received scores below zero. ExxonMobil, for example, was penalized for its activities in Beaumont, Texas, where one of its crude oil refineries has regularly been in noncompliance with the Clean Air Act, spewing carcinogens into a majority-Black neighborhood.

“Environmental racism is built into their business plan,” Knight said. “They have allowed all of these environmental violations to become just business as usual.” ...

The report also mentions Marathon Petroleum’s oil refineries near Black and brown communities in southwest Detroit, where vapor releases and chemical leaks have exacerbated local cancer and asthma rates....

Valero, which got 491st place on As You Sow’s scorecard, was criticized for a proposal that would have routed a natural gas pipeline through 7 miles of 97-percent-Black neighborhoods in Memphis, Tennessee, avoiding majority-white suburbs in the north of the city. ...

Beyond its habit of putting polluting infrastructure in predominantly nonwhite neighborhoods, another reason the energy sector underperformed on the scorecard was what As You Sow called a “serious lack of diversity, equity, and inclusion disclosure.”

https://grist.org/climate/as-you-sow-racial-justice-scorecard-exxonmobil/

Hurricane Ida could be 'life altering storm': Louisiana governor (and vid)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/topstories/hurricane-ida-could-be-life...

"Ida is forecast to make landfall on the very difficult anniversary of Hurricane Katrina..."

#HurricaneIda - Live UPDATES

https://twitter.com/accuweather/status/1431835501665951746

Tracking Ida : Live streaming coverage

https://youtu.be/yDhRFKNprKE

The latest evidence from Greenland shows that daily melt rates of its ice sheet is seven times normal resulting in the formation of large meltwater lakes, thereby increasing the rate of sea level rise and future flooding around the world, particularly for low-lying nations that may no longer exist, as well as Canada, with its three ocean coastlines having a coast three times larger than the next largest coastline of a nation. 

In a satellite image of the Greenland Ice Sheet's southwestern corner, captured on August 21, 2021, pale blue meltwater streams across ice or collects in slushy depressions. The deeper blue areas are meltwater lakes with depths up to about 30 feet. EUROPEAN UNION, COPERNICUS SENTINEL-2 IMAGERY

Following a mid-August heat wave that led to the first-ever recorded rainfall at Summit Camp, at the ice sheet’s highest point, torrents of meltwater streamed across its surface. Climatologists recorded daily melt rates seven times higher than normal. In the satellite image above of the southwestern corner of the ice sheet captured on Aug. 21, pale blue water carves extensive channels around islands of bright white ice or collects in slushy depressions. The left side of the image is darker and, like storm clouds on the horizon, it’s a warning of what’s to come. The Greenland Ice Sheet, like the rest of the Arctic, is trapped in a feedback loop caused by climate change: As more ice melts, it creates conditions for even faster, more extreme melt events. ...

University of Lincoln climate scientist Edward Hanna says the “quite dramatic” surface meltwater shown in the image is a scene that’s likely to be repeated because “Greenland is breaching a crucial tipping point driven by human-induced climate change.” ...

“Albedo is a fancy word for how reflective the surface is,” says Serreze. As highly reflective snow and ice melt, the darker surface exposed — rock, open water, or older ice, depending on the location — absorbs more of the sun’s energy and spurs even more intense melting. “We’re seeing this across the Arctic as we’re losing the sea ice cover, and we’re losing the snow cover,” he says. ...

“You have, on the right, the future: a patchy, wet, slushy ice sheet. You have in the middle the present, which is basically your ice now, frozen. And you have a very deep past on the left, which is also driving the future because, of course, the darker it is, the more it absorbs sunlight and the faster it melts.”

https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/greenland-ice-sheet-melt

The Clayoquot First Nations of Vancouver Island, are reforming fishery planning, diversifying food sources, and strengthening infrastructure to deal with the climatic changes brought on by global warming. The greatly detailed nature and honesty of this analysis of the impact of global warming on their communities is an example of  how extensive the problems all communities will face andwhat communities need to do to adapt to the changing conditions created by climate change. Here is a small sampling of the problems and adaptations described in their very detailed climate change adaptation plan at the url below:

 

Clayoquot Sound Biosphere

The First Nation communities within Clayoquot Sound have lived for thousands of years in a forested landscape from which they have gathered food and harvested building materials creating a society rich in culture. Although many aspects of First Nation life have changed recently, this connection to the forest still exists, but impending impacts caused by climate change have the potential to increase still further these changes.

Although climate change impacts can be observed at the local level, climate is by its nature something that acts at a bioregional scale and this assessment of the forest ecosystems of Clayoquot Sound is being considered in this context. ...

The combination of increasing warmth and rainfall will create a variety of different growing conditions for the forest to adjust to. Very old stands, which dominate in Clayoquot, are likely to undergo increased mortality due to elevated rates of pathogen attack and increased storm events leading to wind throw and stem breakage. ...

The mountain hemlock zone is the highest elevation of closed canopy forest on the coast. It is characterized by cold and snowy winters where mountain hemlock, yellow cedar and amabalis fir dominate. ...For this zone the overall estimated ecological sensitivity is high, since this system and its associated tree species is expected to largely disappear. ...

If rainfall and storms increase into the future, both landslides and windthrow may increase in the region. Two of the most significant potential impacts from these events include: a) a positive effect upon regeneration rates, by increasing disturbance and allowing young trees more sunlight and better growing mediums, with the result that the forest may respond more quickly into the future; and b) increased disturbance rates may have a negative impact upon streams and rivers as material is deposited into the channels adding to sediment loads and negatively impacting spawning beds for salmon. ...

Climate change is going to bring a considerable warming trend with increased rain from autumn through to spring. There will be a gradual shift of BGC subzones across elevation bands as the more productive sub montane and montane types move up the mountainsides and the region is likely to lose virtually all the Mountain Hemlock zone. ...

Among the many hydrologic changes that will accompany future climates, changes in three processes and/or metrics will be of particular importance: 1) a decline in snowpacks due to an overall increase in temperature (particularly in the spring and at night), 2) an increase in winter (and fall) precipitation partially at the expense of summer (and spring) precipitation, and 3) an increase in the intensity of winter rainfalls. ...

Higher volumes of rainfall arriving in higher intensities will lead to an increase in the frequency of slope failures in steep terrain and a subsequent decline in water quality and channel stability. ...

A direct consequence of increased frequency of winter rainfall will be an increase in flood frequency. The higher volume and intensity of rainfall, coupled with a warmer wetter snowpack, will together yield yet higher runoff and larger downstream floods as the air temperatures climb in the coming decades. ...

While the winter period will experience a great number of flood peaks, the late summer period will experience an increase in the number and magnitude of low flow days. ...

Table 4: Aspects of physical, chemical, and biological changes in the Northeastern Pacific Ocean based on literature reviews by Tom Okey.

Physical and chemical changes         Biological changes

• Temperature (+)  Poleward shift of species ranges

• pH (-) Changes in phenology, or timing of life stages and migration

• Precipitation (+)   Changes in phenology, or timing of life stages and migration

• Snowpack (-) Mis-matches and re-assembly of communities

• Salinity (-) Mis-matches and re-assembly of communities

• Stratification (+) Increased extinction risk

• Dissolved oxygen (-) Physiological stress

• Sea level (+) Invasive species and disease

• Storminess (+)  Effects of exposure to toxins

• North Pacific current (+)  Nutrient enrichment and algal blooms

• Upwelling (+)  Increased vulnerability to other anthropogenic stressors

Direction of change is indicated in parentheses (+ is up, - is down). ...

In Clayoquot Sound, marine systems will change fastest because they are more ‘fluid’and some species can move more easily. Temperature changes will affect all systems –but the physical changes in the ocean are expected to be dramatic, and cause severe changes to marine biodiversity. Humans will need to alter their management regimes to take this into account – changing expectations about what the ocean will offer, and how certain this will be, will be a key part of managing for uncertainty in the future. The ocean system has the potential to quite radically change its state and dynamic processes, and may therefore not be resilient into the near future as feedback loops alter key processes dynamically within this system. There is high certainty that the marine systems will change significantly from their current patterns, and that this will affect the abundance and distribution of specific species important for the First Nations in Clayoquot Sound. Novel species have already arrived in this system – and we do not know how they are interacting with species already in this environment. ...

The forested ecosystems of Clayoquot Sound, in contrast, are likely relatively resilient naturally because of the predominance of slow disturbance factors and because they create and maintain their own micro-climate and internal processes. ...

The communities face a new challenge in the form of climate change that will again impact many aspects of their lives. ...Chief among these vulnerabilities are threats to health and safety, food supply, livelihoods, infrastructure and shelter and various cultural, social and political resources. Past adaptation successes would suggest that the communities will adapt to these changes but how well they adapt depends on how well they are prepared. ...

The expected climate changes are chiefly a threat to health and safety from increased storm severity and rain-induced flooding. The most likely short-term vulnerabilities are those related to stress or harm from infrastructure failure, particularly in the low lying areas (below 5m). More likely than not, there are also risks associated with boating and more severe storm activity in the short-term. In the mid- term, potential impacts include mild health risks related to exposure to new pests and diseases as temperatures increase.

A primary consideration should be the large amount of new housing to be built in the next few years and a need to be proactive about using the best designs and available features to deal with air circulation and mould as a warming, precipitation and possibly windsincrease. At this time, although the communities are very resourceful, there is no real strategy for dealing with more severe storm and rain conditions or increases of pest and disease, if they arise on a wide scale or in a recurrent manner. This situation could leave thecommunities’ health and safety moderately vulnerable. ... 

Climate change is likely to cause gaps in traditional seafood supplies in the Clayoquot Sound. This may be offset to some degree by new seafood species moving into the area and by the relatively benign effects on the terrestrial environment but overall the effects of climate change will likely result in food supply uncertainty. ... The Clayoquot communities depend heavily on seafood for their diet, with approximately 60% of the Nations’ annual protein derived from wild marine sources. ... At the same time, new marine food species such as mackerel, squid and other finfish may emerge in the Clayoquot Sound, which may substitute for lost food species. ...

Presently, the Clayoquot communities are educating their people about gardening and healthy diets, with the hope of strengthening local food security and health. If this is adopted across the communities in a permanent way, this will leave them less vulnerable to shifts in the wild food supply. ...

All of the Clayoquot communities are invested in the forest sector through Iisaak Resouces Ltd. and therefore all stand to benefit. The dependence of the communities on the fishery/aquaculture sector, however, may be risky, since this sector will likely be the most destabilized climate change. The Ahousaht are particularly vulnerable here, since they are the most heavily invested in this sector. ...

The Tlaoquiaht are the only Clayoquot community heavily invested in the tourism sector but the other two communities have aspirations to grow this sector as well. Climate change will likely increase uncertainty in this sector, however, since it may both benefit and threaten it. Warmer and drier summers may attract greater numbers of tourists to the area but also increase the risk of water shortage. Sports fishing stocks may be put in jeopardy with ocean changes and more severe winter storms may damage important infrastructure (beaches, wharves, and resorts) which attracts or serves the tourist population. ...

Lastly, the Clayoquot communities are hoping to strengthen their local economies by negotiating treaties and greater control over the natural resources in their traditional territories. However, little is being discussed in these negotiations regarding how climate change may affect these resources or their livelihoods. To the extent that climate change impacts are not being considered in these negotiations, the communities leave themselves vulnerable.

https://ecotrust.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Climate-2011-ClayoquotCli...

Because of global warming almost all ocean surface climates could disappear by 2100 if we don't quickly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, according to a new study. With 2.7 times the length of coastline of the next longest coastline country and facing on three oceans, Canada's marine environment and nearby regions will be greatly affected. 

Sub-Antarctic and equatorial regions could experience disappearing ocean surface climates, disrupting the delicate ecosystems.

If the rate at which we've been releasing carbon doesn't change, environmental researchers suggest about 95% of ocean surface climates could disappear by 2100, creating a grim future for some marine species that may face two options: adapt or die. Ocean surface climates refer to a combination of water temperature, acidity and concentration of aragonite, a mineral used by marine creatures like coral. ...

The study, published Thursday in the journal Scientific Reports, also found that in the next 80 years -- based on the current carbon emission trajectory -- over 80% of the ocean surface may be covered in novel, high-temperature and acidic climates.

Such novel ocean surface climates have never existed before on Earth. Both disappearing climates and novel ones -- which are most likely to emerge near the equator and sub-Antarctic regions, according to the study -- threaten the animals that call these places home. "If they are narrowly adapted to the conditions that they live in, and those conditions start to disappear or be replaced with novel climates," said Katie Lotterhos, an associate professor of marine and environmental sciences at Northeastern University, "they can't disperse to a place, or migrate to a place, where they're going to find that climate." She added that "some people have called that an adapt or die scenario."

Lotterhos and fellow researchers sought to understand how the climates have already changed since 1800 and to project how they're expected to fluctuate into 2100. To form conclusions, the team modeled ocean surface climates across the 300-year timespan. ...

They ran their models under two scenarios of Representative Concentration Pathways, or RCPs, which are used by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and refer to hypothetical climate change trajectories dependent on atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations. 

First, we have the aptly named "business as usual" scenario, which represents a high RCP of 8.5. The other, RCP 4.5, is a more optimistic situation, but one that would require active measures to drive down human-generated carbon emissions. 

If our carbon emissions continue on track with "business as usual," the study found that 82% of the ocean surface could have novel climates by 2100. That's bad news for marine creatures. If emissions are lessened to follow RCP 4.5, that figure plunges to 10% of the ocean surface.  "If we can implement mitigation measures," Lotterhos said, "It can drastically reduce the proportion of the ocean surface that was projected to experience novel conditions." Relatedly, the 4.5 pathway also appears to control ocean surface climate disappearances, endangering only 35% of the ocean by 2100 instead of the jaw-dropping 95% with business as usual. ...

Lotterhos' team is also the first to consider ocean surface climate change on a global scale; that aspect, in particular, is what allowed the team to uncover features of novelty. That's because even if a marine climate near the Gulf of Alaska, for instance, transforms into a warmer one, it might not be historically new. The rest of the globe would need to be analyzed before a "novel" declaration is made.

https://www.cnet.com/news/climate-change-almost-all-ocean-surface-climat...

Britain's economy is already undergoing rapid economic change because of global warming. While some industries have benefit, such as wineries, there are many other facing major problems and future problems are starting to manifest. Unfortunately, Canada cannot even match Britain's weak record. 

A vineyard in Surrey, England

Climate change could spark major shifts in British produce in the coming decades as the country attempts to avoid a “catastrophic” environmental fallout, experts have said.

At the end of July, the U.K.’s Royal Meteorological Society published its State of the U.K. Climate 2020 report, with the authors noting that last year was England’s third warmest year since records began in 1884.

Meanwhile, the U.K. Met Office predicts that the country is set for warmer and wetter winters, hotter and drier summers and “more frequent and intense weather extremes” because of climate change.

Michael Christie, professor of environmental and ecological economics at Aberystwyth Business School in Wales, told CNBC in a phone call that unless drastic measures were taken in the U.K. and internationally, temperature rises would have “more and more catastrophic effects.”

“And those effects will be irreversible,” he added, noting that certain industries were at greater risk.

“For agriculture, for example, there will be risks in terms of potential impact on what crops can grow,” he said. “There are also issues in terms of livestock and methane emissions, so farmers might not be able to have [as much] livestock in the future. But there are maybe some benefits in that warmer temperatures in the U.K. might actually lead to increased yields.” ...

“In areas where a lack of grass biomass to feed the cattle had never been an issue, all of a sudden, this was on everyone’s agenda, because there was no pasture to be had,” he said.

What happens overseas also affects British agriculture, Lukac pointed out.“A greater impact will be felt in other parts of the world, but agriculture has become globally integrated,” he told CNBC. “For example, a failure of yield in Brazil will be felt by the U.K. livestock industry, because we buy soya from Brazil and feed it to the cows in Britain.”

Issues with water availability could also bring new challenges in the future, Lukac predicted. “The cost of water is minimal right now — it’s not really costed into farmers’ business models. But I suspect at some point, when farmers will be competing directly with the general population for drinking water because of supply limitations, this will become an issue,” he explained. ...

In recent years, Lukac added, Britain’s changing climate had altered what was being grown locally. For example, more areas had become capable of growing maize. Meanwhile, government policies aimed at reducing emissions had had what he called a “cascade effect.”

“Some years back there was a drive to biodiesel,” he said. “Some agricultural policy in the U.K. changed and started to subsidize rapeseed a little more than other crops. ...

Although the climate had become more suitable for wine production in certain areas of the U.K., Dorling noted that a natural variability in Britain’s climate could still lead to production shocks. ...

Companies and investors outside of land-dependent industries are also changing the way they operate. England’s high-speed HS2 railway development will use 3D-printed graphene-reinforced concrete, which is more environmentally friendly than traditional concrete. Elsewhere, a hybrid aircraft took its maiden 37-mile flight between Orkney and Wick in Scotland earlier this month. ...

While some businesses are attempting to mitigate climate risk and become more sustainable, others are falling behind. 

The U.K. is currently in its third carbon budget period, which ends in 2022. According to the Climate Change Committee — an independent advisory body established under the 2008 legislation — the U.K. is currently “off track” for its fourth, fifth and sixth budgets.

Speaking to CNBC via email, a spokesperson for the CCC said there was a lack of evidence businesses were taking action to prepare for climate risks such as flooding, coastal change, extreme weather events and supply chain disruption. “Without action on climate adaptation we will struggle to deliver key government and societal goals, including Net Zero itself,” the CCC spokesperson warned.

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/08/31/britains-economy-is-already-seeing-rapid...

Here's more on what the Northeast region of the US can expect and much of which is already occurring because of global warming. Of course many of these problems will extend northwards into Canada. 

Climate change means is suffering from more heat waves, coastal flooding due to sea level rise and storm surge, and river flooding due to more heavy rainfall events.

In addition to national data, the Third National Climate Assessment has chapters that explore how climate change will affect different regions of America.

Among the National Climate Assessment’s findings for the Northeast:On rising temperatures:

Projected Increases in the Number of Days over 90°F.

LOWER EMISSIONS (B1)HIGHER EMISSIONS (A2)

•   Temperatures in the Northeast have increased by almost 2 degrees Fahrenheit since 1895.

•   The frequency, intensity, and duration of heat waves in the Northeast expected to increase in the future.

•   The majority of Maryland and Delaware, and southwestern West Virginia and New Jersey, are projected to see more than 60 additional days per year above 90 degrees Fahrenheit by the middle of this century.

  On heavy rains:

•   Precipitation in the Northeast has increased by

  approximately five inches since 1895.

•   The Northeast has experienced a greater recent increase in heavy downpours than any other region in the United States.

•   The frequency of heavy downpours will likely increase, especially in the northern portions of the region.

  On flooding:

Source: National Climate Assessment

•   Coastal flooding in the Northeast has increased due to a rise in sea level of approximately one footsince 1900 -- more than the global average sea level rise of approximately 8 inches.

•   Global sea levels are projected to rise one to four feet by 2100. Sea level rise of two feet would more than triple the frequency of dangerous coastal flooding throughout most of the Northeast.

•   Many of the Northeast’s key highways (including I-95) and rail systems (including Amtrak) span areas that are prone to coastal flooding. Ports like Baltimore are also vulnerable to floods.

  Want even more info? Check out these state-by-state fact sheets on the White House web site.

https://www.edf.org/sites/default/files/content/regional_releases_northe...

ETA: New York Governor Kathy Hochul just noted that the record-breaking rain that fell overnight and crippled New York City broke a record set just last week. She said there are no more unforseen catacalysmic events, this is the new normal and we have to start dealing with it. New York Mayor Bill de Blasio and New York Senator Chuck Schmuer agreed. Time for Trudeau to wake up and end fossil fuel subsidies and pipelines.

The following CNN series of articles traces the trail of destruction wrought by Hurricane Ida from Louisiana from which I have selected a small sample of the problems created by this climate crisis event. 

Water spills over the banks of the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia on Thursday. (Matt Rourke/AP)

Hurricane Ida's remnants drenched the Northeast last night, causing dangerous flash floods and tornadoes across several states. 

Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania are reporting deaths from the storm, and search and rescue and clean up efforts are underway today. Meanwhile, parts of Louisiana — where Ida made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane earlier this week — could be without power for weeks because of the storm.

Here's a state-by-state look at Ida's aftermath:

New York

• There have been at least 13 storm-related storm deaths in the state, according to officials.
• New York declared a state of emergency early today, and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said she spoke with President Biden, who “guaranteed” full support in the wake of a “devastating” and “record-shattering” storm.
• In New York City, almost all the city subway lines were suspended due to the flooding. The Metropolitan Transit Authority website said that only the "7" line and the Staten Island Railway were operating with delays.

New Jersey

• At least six storm-related deaths have been reported across the state.
• At least 25 homes in Mullica Hill were completely or partially destroyed and are currently uninhabitable, according to a police lieutenant.
• Gov. Phil Murphy also declared a state of emergency, urging residents to "stay off the roads, stay home, and stay safe."

Pennsylvania

• Three storm-related deaths are currently being investigated in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, a county official said.
• Dozens of people in Bridgeport, Pennsylvania, were rescued from floodwaters, Borough Manager Keith Truman said Thursday.
• The city of Philadelphia is reeling after its Schuylkill River rose 2 feet above a major flood stage.

Maryland

• Maryland Montgomery County Police said while final autopsy is pending, the death of a 19-year-old found dead after an apartment complex flooded Wednesday can be preliminarily attributed to the storm.

Louisiana

• While the state is now four days out from Ida's Sunday landfall, parts of the state are still reeling from the hurricane.
• Millions of Gulf Coast residents who survived Ida's devastating winds and deluge of rain face a new danger — widespread power outages that are expected to last for weeks, coupled with a period of excessive heat.
• Some “key areas” along the Mississippi River and in the Port of New Orleans remain closed following Hurricane Ida, the US Coast Guard said Thursday. 

https://edition.cnn.com/us/live-news/ida-aftermath-09-02-21/index.html

NDPP wrote:

We should not be surprised that the msm does not bring us the real truth on climate change, just as it doesn't on most other topics of importance. Its owners and advertisers operate their media business for their own benefit and profit, not planetary survival.

Thanks to jerrym and all who contribute to bringing awareness in this regard.

I failed to notice your comment until today, so a belated thanks. 

New York's Ida disaster: A social crime in the center of world capitalism

https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2021/09/04/pers-s04.html

"...While the storm's intensity was unprecedented, it was by no means unexpected. Scientists have warned for decades about the consequences of global climate change.

The impact of the storm has put a spotlight on the horrific social reality in the US, especially in the heart of global capitalism. While the wealthy were protected in their insulated penthouses and multistory brownstones, the brutal housing conditions for the working class were tragically exposed by the storm. Hurricane Ida is not simply a tragic 'natural' disaster. More fundamentally, it is a social crime..."

Like cars, boats are starting to go electric to reduce greenhouse emissions. With more freshwater and more coastline than any other country in the world. Trudeau, continues to subsidize the fossil fuel extraction and pipeline industries heavily while ignoring new industries such as electric boats.

Covid has helped increase boat sales as people want a form of recreation without having to make contact with others. 

This photo provided by Jeff Helmkamp/LakeExpo shows Vision Marine Technologies' Vision Marine Bruce 22 boat with one of their E-Motion motors. The electric boat is capable of reaching speeds of 49 mph. (Jeff Helmkamp/LakeExpo via AP)

The auto industry has raced ahead on an electric wave with more manufacturers joining the race seemingly every day. The boating industry has sputtered far behind, bogged down by low-horsepower engines and batteries that take up nearly half the boat.

That's in the process of changing. Bolstered by new technology, the electric boats are now faster, have smaller batteries with longer ranges and are still zero emission.

“Electric boats used to be good for just cruising around,” said Alex Mongeon, CEO of Montreal-based Vision Marine Technologies. “Now they have more power and last a long longer.” Vision Marine has helped lead the charge in more powerful electric boats. Other companies riding the electric motor wave include Swedish luxury boat builder X Shore and Arc, started by former SpaceX employees.

An avid boat racer and electrician by trade, Mongeon and Vision Marine began working in 2015 on developing a more powerful yet still efficient electric outboard motor. They created the E-Motion 180, the first electric boat engine to use lithium batteries. The electric outboard boasts 180 horsepower and can reach speeds of 60 mph, a first in electric boating. The E-motion 180, which costs about $5,000 more than a standard internal combustion engine, can be used with any boats that use a 180 HP outboard gas engine, typically between 18 to 26 feet.

The engines can fully charge overnight and all that's needed is a 220-volt outlet — a boating version of plug and play. Maintenance is far less than ICE engines because there are fewer moving parts.  The electric engines are noiseless, odorless and smokeless, so there's no more yelling at each other while onboard or leaving a layer of smoke in your wake. ...

Many waters have been designated marine protected areas — 26% in the United States, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration — which ban motorized boats. Many allow electric boats because they are cleaner and emit no sound. ...

According to National Marine Manufacturers Association, sales of powerboats were up 12% in 2020 with more than 310,000 new sales, the highest numbers since before the recession of 2008. ...

According to National Marine Manufacturers Association, sales of powerboats were up 12% in 2020 with more than 310,000 new sales, the highest numbers since before the recession of 2008. ...

The new era of electric boats, with the added power and limited environmental impact, are making it even more enjoyable.

https://www.nationalobserver.com/2021/09/03/news/electric-boats-noise-quiet

Climate crisis cannot be separated from extreme wealth inequality

https://buff.ly/2WFe2hx

"The wealthiest 1% of individuals worldwide has emitted 100 times as much CO2 per year as the bottom 50%. According to research by Thomas Piketty and Lucas Chancel, the richest 10% of individual emitters contributed to 45% of global emissions. The poorest 50% of the world's population accounted for 13% of world emissions. Annual per capita carbon emissions for the top 1% of Canadians was about 35 times the world average, placing Canada 5th in the carbon emitter ratings. Canada's climate emissions have risen 26% since the Kyoto Protocol..."

A growing number of environmental activists are calling for the COP26 climate conference scheduled for October-November to be postponed because the Covid pandemic and the resultant lack of extensive vaccinations in many developing countries and the high cost of travel means the people of these countries will be grossly under-represented as the global warming crisis worsens, especially for them. However, a group of 48 countries that are most at risk from climate change, which was already postponed last year because of Covid, must go ahead this year because of the growing crisis. 

A coalition of environmental groups has called for a pivotal climate conference to be postponed amid concern that many of those most affected by global warming won't be able to attend because of the continuing threat from COVID-19.

Campaigners said Tuesday that organizers hadn't done enough to ensure broad participation in the event by providing access to vaccines and defraying the rising cost of travel for people from developing nations, many of which are subject to British government travel restrictions. The UN climate summit, known as COP26, is scheduled for Oct. 31-Nov. 12 in Scotland.

"Our concern is that those countries most deeply affected by the climate crisis and those countries suffering from the lack of support by rich nations in providing vaccines will be left out of the talks," said Tasneem Essop, executive director of Climate Action Network, which includes 1,500 groups in 130 countries. "There has always been an inherent power imbalance within the UN climate talks and this is now compounded by the health crisis." ...

But the Climate Vulnerable Forum, a group of 48 countries that are most at risk from climate change, later said an in-person summit must take place as scheduled to ensure the world responds to a threat "unparalleled in human history."

The tussle over postponement comes just weeks after an international panel of climate scientists issued a stark warning to world leaders, saying time was running out to avert the worst effects of climate change. COP26 is seen as a critical step in the drive to persuade governments, industry and investors around the world to make binding commitments on reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The meeting was originally scheduled to be held last year, but it was postponed due to the pandemic.

https://www.ctvnews.ca/climate-and-environment/environmental-groups-call...

'Why isn't everyone talking about The Indigenous Resistance Against Carbon Report?' Because : #SettlerSupremacy

https://twitter.com/BarbaraXLow/status/1435260134926790661

"They would rather die than let Indigenous peoples 'run the show'. Indigenous Sovereignty is the answer to ALL of the problems in these lands."

'Indigenous resistance has stopped or delayed GHG pollution equivalent to at least one-quarter of annual US and Canadian emissions. There is not climate action without Indigenous people.'

#StopTMX #SupportTinyHouseWarriors

Here is a detailed look at the Madagascar famine, the first famine to be directly caused by climate change, according to climate change attribution science. Models strongly suggest other countries in East Africa are likely next to face famine, with Ethiopia the most likely next target. For me, this is personal, my great-great-grandparents were lucky to escape the Irish famine in 1847, another famine in which almost no one seemed to give a damn about the staggering death toll. 

A baby scale hangs on a tree branch during a malnutrition screening session in Ifotaka, southern Madagascar.

The UN has announced that Madagascar is on the brink of experiencing the world’s first “climate change famine”. Tens of thousands of people are suffering “catastrophic” levels of hunger. Climate hazard scientist, Chris Funk, provides insights into the causes.

Out of the last six years in Madagascar, five years have had poor or very bad rainy seasons.  My colleagues and I were able to track this because of the satellite-gauge rainfall data that we developed – the Climate Hazards Group’s Infrared Precipitation with Stations (CHIRPS) system – to monitor droughts in regions like southern Madagascar. ...

Our data suggests that since 2015, with the exception of the 2018 - 2019 rains, seasonal rainfall (which usually falls from from October to May in southern Madagascar) has been low. This fall within the driest 10% of years since 1981.

Other data suggests that the past six years have also been exceptionally warm. Warmer air can hold more water vapour which leads to vapour deficits. These deficits can exacerbate droughts by drying out vegetation because the drier air pulls moisture out of the plants.

Looking back over Indo-Pacific sea temperatures, I am really struck at how extreme conditions have been since 2014. 

The Indo-Pacific is dominated by three types of extreme weather events; El Niño, La Niña and the Indian Ocean dipole. These all occur when certain parts of the ocean become exceptionally warm. El Niño is influenced by the eastern Pacific, La Niña by the western Pacific and the Indian Ocean Dipole by the western Indian Ocean. 

When these events happen, wind patterns shift to support heavy rainfall over whichever region is extremely warm. These shifts, in turn, can disturb rainfall conditions over eastern and southern Africa. 

Every year since 2014, there has been either a La Niña or El Niño, except for 2019 to 2020. ...

The Famine Early Warning Systems Network is tracking conditions in Madagascar very closely. They report below-average rice, maize, and pulse production in the main producing areas of the highlands as well as across eastern and southern Madagascar. There is also very poor cassava production, a staple food. ...

The droughts have really dried out vegetation. In general, this type of persistent drought stress weakens the resilience of poor households. It can also lead to higher food prices. ...

The link between climate change and more extreme Indo-Pacific sea surface temperatures is quite clear.  Our research, supporting famine early warning, for example, has described how climate change is amplifying the magnitude of natural variations, such as El Niños and La Niñas. This contributed to post-2014 increases in eastern and southern African food insecurity. 

From 2019 to 2021, we saw exceptionally warm ocean conditions in the Indian Ocean and western Pacific. And, as mentioned earlier, warmer air can hold more water vapour which leads to deficits. In two recent papers, one focused on a global drought analysis and one focused on east Africa, we argue that these warmer temperatures have amplified the impact of precipitation deficits, especially in arid regions. ...

My perspective on “projections,” however, is that we need to reject the idea that climate change is some “external” process. There is no physical process that causes all the sea surface temperatures and air temperatures to slowly warm at very similar rates. ...

We are now very concerned about the potential of another sequence of poor rains in east African from 2021 - 2022. Current forecasts appear very similar to recent drought years. This could be especially concerning for Ethiopia, where very poor rains have led to low crop production outcomes. Poor rains, combined with food price increases, conflict, political division, have led to crisis levels of food insecurity. ...

There are vital efforts being made to build resilience. For example, the social enterprise Tatirano (“to collect water” in Malagasy) aims to increase the adoption of rainwater harvesting techniques by communities. ... According to Tatirano, along the coast, over four million people live without basic access to clean water, despite living in areas which receive more than 1500 mm of rain a year. In the drier, arid drought-stricken areas rainwater harvesting can increase water retention for agriculture by increasing the amount of rain absorbed by the soil. Larger scale nature-based rainwater harvesting collection and storage (natural rock reservoirs for example) can help mitigate more variable rainfall and take advantage of extreme precipitation events, which appear to be more frequent.

https://theconversation.com/how-climate-change-contributed-to-madagascar...

Yesterday Trudeau said O'Toole is taking us back to the Harper era greenhouse gas emission reduction targets of 17% by 2020 and 30% by 2030. The problem is Trudeau never left them, adopting them as his own targets when he took power in 2015 and keeping them during his six years in power until just before this election when he announced the new target of reducing emissions by 40% by 2030 after failing to meet Harper's and his targets of 17% by 2020 and instead increasing emissions.

What are the chances of Trudeau even meeting Harper's targets, which of course Harper Cons never intended to meet as they planned to triple oil sands production by 2030? There is no chance of Trudeau meeting Harper's targets of a 15% reduction from 2005 emissions levels as noted by both Auditor General Michael Ferguson in 2018 and Environmental Commissioner Julie Gelfand in 2019. AG Ferguson concluded  the Trudeau Liberal government "is likely to miss the 2020 Copenhagen target as well". (http://www.oag-bvg.gc.ca/internet/English/parl_otp_201803_e_42883.html) Trudeau has now missed them. Gelfand concluded "Canada is not on track to hit its 2030 target,". These targets were actually those of the Conservative Harper government. (https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/environment-commissioner-julie-gelfand-...) Trudeau is now well down the road to missing his new 2030 targets, let alone the much weaker targets that were still in place in 2019 when Gelfand wrote her environmental commission report. 

Global warming is worsening both income inequality and the number of people in poverty. 

The poor are more likely to be forced to live in areas more vunerable to climate change, such as next to waterways

Over the coming decades, climate change and natural disasters have the potential to undo much of the progress made in lifting households out of poverty over prior decades. By one estimate, climate change could push 100 million people across the globe into poverty within the next 10 years. By the end of the century, the ratio of GDP per capita between the richest and poor countries in Latin America and the Caribbean is also expected to dramatically increase as a result of climate change and accompanying natural disasters.  

As the recent IDB report The Inequality Crisis explains, the region needs to make a concerted effort to design policies that foster inclusive growth and sustainability to counteract these dangerous trends.  

There are three reasons that climate shocks and natural disasters exacerbate inequality. First, poorer countries, regions, and people tend to be more exposed to climate change impacts and natural disasters than their wealthier counterparts. Second, they lose a greater share of their wealth when climate shocks hit. And third, they have fewer resources to cope with the negative impacts of climate shocks.   ...

Within Latin America and the Caribbean, the high-poverty regions of Western Bolivia and Central and Southern Peru are the most vulnerable to heavy rainfalls and flooding. Moreover, across countries in Latin America, temperature is negatively correlated with GDP per capita, so that poorer countries are more exposed to high temperature (Figure 1). There are similar patterns within countries as well. For instance, Brazilian states with higher temperature have lower GDP per capita suggesting that poor states are more exposed to the impacts of rising temperature (Figure 2).  ...

When climate shocks do occur, the poor typically lose a greater share of their wealth. For example, Hurricane Mitch wiped out 18% of the assets of the poorest quintile in Honduras compared to only 3% for the richest quintile. These disparate losses of wealth translate into unequal reductions in consumption.  

The poor are least able to cope with and recover from the negative impacts of climate shocks. They have fewer financial resources, both because their social networks — or support systems– tend to also be poor and because they have less access to formal savings, credit, and insurance. Remittances can also alleviate financial pressure — or smooth consumption — but the poor are disadvantaged here too. One study in Jamaica found that households who lived in better constructed housing, a proxy for wealth, were more likely to smooth consumption after tropical storms using remittances. Further, while wealthier households can adjust their budget, for example by delaying luxury purchases, poor households already dedicate a significant share of their budget to meeting their basic needs.  

These three factors form a negative feedback loop in which the poor are more likely to experience climate shocks and lose a greater fraction of their wealth to them. Forced into poverty as a result, they are now in a worse position, with fewer resources to cope, when the next climate shock hits.  

Fortunately, countries can break this cycle by implementing inclusive development policies that are consistent with climate stabilization and disaster risk management goals and, at the same time, reduce inequality. The first step is to improve social safety nets and enact policies that improve the poor’s ability to cope with the negative impacts of climate shocks. Better insurance and formal financial products, access to health care, and improved infrastructure services are some examples.  

Governments also need to provide assistance to the most needy when natural disasters hit. Without quick assistance in the aftermath of a disaster, poor households may sell productive assets, withdraw their children from school, or delay seeking medical care to meet their immediate needs, jeopardizing their long-term prospects. Using funds pre-authorized for this purpose, governments can quickly target resources to the most vulnerable by utilizing existing cash transfer mechanisms.  

https://blogs.iadb.org/ideas-matter/en/how-climate-change-worsens-povert...

Legal scholars have settled on a definition for the crime of ecocide. Now we need to legislate and enforce it. 

A PANEL OF 12 legal experts from around the world on Tuesday released a proposed definition for a new international crime called “ecocide” covering “severe” and “widespread or long-term environmental damage” that would be prosecuted before the International Criminal Court in the Hague, alongside genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and crimes of aggression. 

The panel’s announcement was seen by environmentalists and international legal scholars as a significant step in a growing global campaign to criminalize ecocide, which requires one of the court’s 123 member nations to formally request consideration of a fifth crime within the court’s purview. The process could take years to complete.  “The four existing international crimes focus on the wellbeing of human individuals and groups … and rightly so,” Philippe Sands, the noted international human rights attorney and author who co-chaired the panel, said during a virtual press conference. “We don’t in any way wish to diminish those vastly important crimes. But what is missing is a place for our natural world. None of the existing international criminal laws protect the environment as an end in itself, and that’s what the crime of ecocide does.” ...

While the United States, Russia, China and India, the world’s leading greenhouse gas polluters, are not members of the court and remain outside its jurisdiction, the legal scholars said the panel’s work will have effects at the tribunal and beyond, regardless of whether ecocide is officially made an international crime.  ...

If ultimately successful, legal scholars said the crime of ecocide could be used to hold the individuals most responsible for major ecological harms accountable, including business, insurance, financial and government leaders. 

Even consideration of the crime, they said, could signal that mass environmental destruction is now considered one of the most morally reprehensible crimes in the world. A small but growing number of world leaders, including Pope Francis and French President Emmanuel Macron, have begun using the word “ecocide” to connote an offense they say poses a threat to humanity and remains beyond the reach of existing legal conventions. ...

Crafting the definition was a necessary first step because, unlike the court’s other four crimes, ecocide has no international precedent, leaving the court’s member countries without a foundation in law to start the amendment process. 

The 165-word definition begins: “For the purpose of this Statute, ‘ecocide’ means unlawful or wanton acts committed with knowledge that there is a substantial likelihood of severe and either widespread or long-term damage to the environment being caused by those acts.”

The panel defined “widespread” as “damage which extends beyond a limited geographic area, crosses state boundaries, or is suffered by an entire ecosystem or species or a large number of human beings.” 

The panel wrote that “‘severe’ means damage which involves very serious adverse changes, disruption or harm to any element of the environment, including grave impacts on human life or natural, cultural or economic resources,” and defined “long-term” as “damage which is irreversible,” or which cannot be redressed through natural recovery within a reasonable period of time.” 

Without a prior treaty or other legal precedent to work from, panelists had to construct the crime from scratch, ensuring it is sellable to the world’s nations, which are historically reluctant to cede sovereignty to international institutions. 

“A perfect definition does you no good if states ignore it, or worse, become hostile to the enterprise and set the effort back,” said Nancy Combs, an expert in international criminal law and professor. The definition is aimed at being less of a sledgehammer and more of a guardrail for governments and businesses that are most responsible for ecological injuries. “This is not about catching every single horror that occurs in relation to the environment, but those horrors that cross the threshold, and are of international concern,” Sands said.  The definition also had to be general enough to address all manner of environmental harms, capable of keeping pace with evolving science, and specific enough to put would-be wrong doers on notice of what is and is not criminal behavior. 

BUT THE NEW LAW differs in one major respect from the other four crimes prosecuted by the International Criminal Court: harm to human beings is not a prerequisite for ecocide. That shift away from an anthropocentric focus is a major development for international criminal law, which mainly focuses on human injuries, said Rogers, the co-deputy chair. 

The definition is also notable for what it doesn’t include. The panel chose not to incorporate a list of ecocidal examples, such as the deforestation of the Amazon or the Chernobyl nuclear meltdown, for fear that something would inevitably be left out, possibly signaling that the excluded act may not qualify as ecocide. By leaving final determinations in the hands of the court’s judges, the panel’s definition is flexible enough to endure into the future when new forms of environmental destruction may emerge, the lawyers said. 

That choice also had a political dimension. The panel did not want countries to feel they were being targeted in any way by listing examples. “We felt that it was best to keep that door shut,” Sands said.  But he did weigh in on climate change. “I’m loath to mention any particular examples, but the authorization, for example, in an industrialized country of a massive new coal field and a massive new coal fired power plant without properly taking into account impacts on the climate system, I think, could arguably come within this definition,” Sands said.

Whether acts that contribute to climate change qualify as ecocide likely will come down to whether they are also unlawful under other national or international laws, he added. The burgeoning body of climate change jurisprudence, including decisions from the Netherlands, France and Germany, holding governments accountable for their failure to adequately reduce greenhouse gas emissions, could take on new significance should the court’s member countries adopt the panel’s definition. “A failure to act is an act,” Sands said. 

https://undark.org/2021/06/22/ecocide-2/

How meaningful are Trudeau's climate change policies? One statistic tells you everything you need to know: Canada is supporting fossil fuels at 10 times the G20 average during the Covid pandemic, adding $12 billion in new fossil fuel support in 2020.

Alberta Premier Jason Kenney with pipe destined for the Keystone XL pipeline, which Trudeau also pushed for, even after Biden killed it.

Nobel-winning economists, financial experts and even the highly conservative International Energy Agency (IEA) are all pushing governments to use stimulus to decarbonize the economy. ...

A report from the IEA projects the resulting global economic contraction will push fossil fuel burning down about eight per cent this year. ... 

And then what? According to the IEA, “a similar rebound in emissions can be expected after this crisis unless there is effort by governments to place clean energy transitions at the heart of the economic recovery.”

It’s not just that economic stimulus is an opportunity to accelerate the transition to a net-zero economy. It’s crucial that we don’t accelerate deeper into danger, like we did after the last recession. After all, the climate doesn’t care how much clean technology we deploy, it only cares how much carbon builds up in the atmosphere from the fossil fuels we burn.

So, the question for every government becomes: how much money are you spending on fossil fuels during the pandemic recovery?

Fortunately, a new coalition has come together to track the answers from each of the world’s largest economies. We’ve taken this data compiled by Energy Policy Trackerand charted new government support for fossil fuels by each of the G20 countries since the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis.

As you can see in this first G20 chart, Canadians are at the top of the fossil support charts. Canada has committed nearly ten times the G20 average per capita — for a total of $12 billion so far this year in new fossil fuel support. Only France, with its massive bailout of Air France, has managed to spend more per person, at this point.

You can also see that we’ve added a little green cap onto the top of the bar representing Canada. That’s the amount of money Canadian governments have committed to clean energy (again, per capita). We could belabour this point but, really, the prioritization speaks for itself.

Canadian governments have focused most of their public funds on the fossil fuel industry itself.

One thing you may notice is that despite all the news about U.S. President Donald Trump bailing out U.S. coal and the American oil and gas industry, not much money has actually been committed.

One thing you may notice is that despite all the news about U.S. President Donald Trump bailing out U.S. coal and the American oil and gas industry, not much money has actually been committed.

Instead, most of Trump’s support for fossil industries has come in the form of rollbacks to regulations and environmental safeguards.

There has been a lot of handwringing about this issue in the U.S., so the next chart shows the number of additional policies that benefit fossil fuels but where the “value of public money is unquantified.”

And for Canada, we have included the number for clean energy — just one so far — as a green bar on top.

https://www.nationalobserver.com/2020/08/12/analysis/canada-supporting-f...

Here is the Climate Action Tracker article mentioned in the last post. The only thing the Trudeau Liberals come somewhat close to in terms of goals is their promises, but even there they fail to achieve an adequate rating in setting these targets. This follows a pattern of setting targets that the Chretien, Martin and Trudeau governments have never met since 1993. In other words, their actions are actually in the opposite direction to the promises, as greenhouse gas emissions have risen under Chretien, Martin and Trudeau, just like with the Conservatives. 

The CAT rates Canada’s climate target, policies and finance as ‘Highly Insufficient’. The “Highly insufficient” rating indicates that Canada’s climate policies and commitments are not consistent with the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C temperature limit. Canada’s 2030 emissions reduction target is consistent with 2°C of warming when compared to modelled domestic emissions pathways. If fully implemented, Canada’s current policies are not enough to achieve this target and are only in line with 4°C warming. Canada is also not meeting its fair-share contributions to climate change and in addition to strengthening its targets and policies also needs to provide additional support to others.

Canada needs to walk the talk when it comes to policy implementation. We rate Canada’s policies and action as “Highly Insufficient” when compared to modelled domestic pathways. Canada did release a revised climate plan in December 2020, and has announced further measures this year, largely in its 2021 Budget. If Canada can successfully implement all of these announced plans, it would go a long way to closing the ambition gap and its rating would improve to “Almost sufficient”. It would also help Canada improve its overall CAT rating by one level. ...

For every step forward, Canada also seems to take two steps back. It continues to expand its pipeline capacity for fossil fuels, even though modelling by its own energy regulator shows that the additional capacity exceeds available supply under even relatively unambitious climate policy. This is against the backdrop of a continued exodus of companies and investors from the sector. In April 2021, New York’s state pension fund was the latest to announce it was divesting from six Canadian oil sand companies. Some of the pandemic relief measures announced last year will also effectively lower the cost of compliance for its methane regulations in the oil and gas sector.

Canada’s latest emissions projections for 2030 transport emissions have also increased by 16% compared to last year’s figure, due, in part, to the rollbacks for passenger car and truck standards that occurred under the Trump Administration. The Biden administration is working on reversing these rollbacks. Canada has promised to align both the light and heavy-duty vehicle regulations for post-2025 models with the most stringent American standards either at the federal or state level. As transport emissions are Canada’s second largest source, action in this sector is critical.

For more detail, see the policies and action section here.

From a fair share perspective, we rate Canada’s NDC target as ‘Insufficient’. Canada needs to strengthen its domestic target and provide additional support for emissions reductions achieved in developing countries to improve on this rating.

Canada’s international public climate finance contribution is rated “Highly insufficient.” The government recently announced a doubling of its climate finance over the next five years. While a positive move, Canada retains a poor rating as its contributions to date have been low compared to its fair share. Canada also continues to provide substantial support to fossil fuel developments abroad. To improve its rating, Canada needs to stop funding fossil fuels overseas and accelerate commitments to increase climate finance.

Canada’s climate finance is not sufficient to improve the fair share target rating, and the CAT rates Canada’s overall fair share contribution as “Insufficient”.

Land use and forests in Canada are both a significant source and significant sink of emissions. Although net emissions for land use and forests in Canada are close to zero, underlying this are strong emissions from harvested word products that are balanced by a emissions removals in managed forests. Both the sources and sinks are independently greater than 20% of emissions excluding LULUCF and we therefore highlight the sector for Canada. If either of the source or sink components change, net emissions will also change and there is potential for land-use and forests to become either a stronger contributor to overall emissions sources or removals.

Canada passed the Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act in June 2021 which enshrines its 2050 net zero target into law. The act also mandates the setting of intermediary targets at five-year intervals (2030, 2035, 2040, 2045), and the requirement to develop emission reductions plans for these targets. The emissions reduction plan for the 2030 target, including an interim emissions reduction objective for 2026, is due by the end of 2021. While Canada’s Net Zero Act has some positive measures, it does not follow good practice on a number of other aspects, such as including emissions from international aviation and shipping into its target.

https://climateactiontracker.org/countries/canada/

Hunziker: What's Up With COP 26?

https://www.counterpunch.org/2021/09/17/whats-up-with-cop26/

"What's at risk at COP26?

• The world is dangerously off track to meet the Paris Agreement goals
• The risks are compounding
• Without immediate action the impacts will be devastating in the coming decades..."

 Debating degrowth: 'Be careful with the alternative energies you wish for.'

https://socialistinCanada.ca/debating-degrowth-be-careful-with-the-alter...

"As heat waves, out-of-control fires and hurricanes increasingly sweep the globe, fossil-fuel apologists continue their 'climate-change denial.' They are matched by the 'energy denial' of AltE enthusiasts who similarly deny that ALL industrially produced energy has seriously negative effects..."

'Activists confront Singh over NDP's Stand on Fairy Creek'

https://twitter.com/DevetRobert/status/1439336713021702155

"While Singh says he does not support TMX, he has not committed to stopping the project.' I find it very difficult to get excited about the Federal NDP."

 Shut-up, ignore all the contradictions and just keep cheering...

On September 14th Vermont became the sixth state to sue fossil fuel companies for allegedly falsifying climate info. The Canadian federal and provincial governments inaction on this speaks volumes.  

Vermont Attorney General T.J. Donovan, left, speaks in front of the Chittenden County Courthouse, in Burlington, Vt., Tuesday, Sept. 14, 2021, as he announces the state had filed a lawsuit against four fossil fuel companies alleging they misled the public about the impact their products have on climate change. Donovan says the state would like the companies to put warning labels on their products in much the same way tobacco products carry warning labels.

Vermont on Tuesday became the latest state to sue some of the country's top fossil fuel companies by alleging they misled the public about the impact their products have on climate change.

The state wants the companies to tell consumers that the use of fossil fuel products harms the environment, Vermont Attorney General T.J. Donovan said after the lawsuit was filed in Vermont Superior Court in Burlington.

The warnings could be similar to those noting the danger of tobacco products or food products that include nutritional and calorie information, he said.

Donovan, speaking outside the Chittenden County courthouse in downtown Burlington where the lawsuit was filed, said they are not trying to prevent the companies from selling their products in the state and that Vermonters will continue to be able to use fossil fuels.

“What we are saying is that Vermonters have the right to know," Donovan said. “Give Vermonters accurate information. Put a label on the product and let Vermonters decide.”

The suit names ExxonMobil Corporation, Shell Oil Company, Sunoco LP, CITGO Petroleum Corporation and other corporations. ...

The Vermont lawsuit seeks to prevent the defendants from engaging in what the suit alleges to be further unfair or deceptive acts and practices.

“They have known for decades that the Earth’s climate has been changing because of emissions of CO2 and other greenhouse gases, and that the fossil fuels they sell are the primary source of those emissions,” the lawsuit said.

Despite that knowledge, the companies have continued to sell their products in Vermont without informing consumers of the effect those products have on their environment, the suit said.

“They market fossil fuel products to Vermont consumers by advertising that use of their products is supposedly better for the environment than other products, while staying silent in the ads about the continuing, significant contributions their products actually make to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change,'' the suit said. ...

The Center for Climate Integrity says Vermont is the sixth state to file a lawsuit against major oil and gas companies related to their alleged role in climate change. The District of Columbia has also filed a similar suit.

https://www.eagletimes.com/ap/vermont-sues-4-oil-companies-alleges-false...