Wow! It looks as if I might be spared having to explain to my grandchildren why my country blocked efforts to avoid a global holocaust! At the last minute, thanks to some heroic efforts by green activists and millions of supporters around the world, Canada agreed to targets for greenhouse gas emissions. Don't think for a minute that we will stay on course without a great deal of continuing public pressure, but at the moment, we have cause for celebration!
If you haven't already heard all about what happened in Bali, I urge you to check out the Avaaz report. There's also a good news article posted on the German indymedia.org site.
The highlights:
- US and Canada team up to undermine the talks. US blocks summit consensus. When Kyoto treaty countries try to move ahead without the US, they are blocked by Canada.
- Global community of green activists, led by Avaaz, organize massive action: petitions, ad campaigns, marches, phoning campaigns. At the summit, Avaaz members bring protest inside the conference: only march allowed inside the venue; largest climate petition in history; daily press conferences; "fossil awards" for the worst countries in the negotiations; constant lobbying of officials.
- In the final hours, Canada backs down completely, allowing Kyoto countries to agree to strong 2020 targets on carbon emissions. US team now entirely isolated and actually booed by the world's diplomats, agrees to call for "deep cuts" and "reference" the 2020 targets.
- Much work remains to achieve new global climate change treaty by 2009, but we're on our way - and we won't turn back!
Friday, December 21, 2007
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Canada in Bali: Crime Against Humanity?
Do you ever wonder how it felt to be a post-war German, having to explain to your children how "you" could have let the holocaust happen? I'm afraid we North Americans are going to find out, first hand.
Too strong an analogy? Well, that depends on what you believe about the causes and potential impact of climate change. The apparent scientific consensus suggests that inaction on climate change will be tantamount to genocide, with entire island nations set to disappear under the waves, to name only one predicted effect. Is there uncertainty about that? Well, some people seem to think so. Was there uncertainty about what Hitler was doing? Absolutely. We actually have much better advance insights into what greenhouse gase (GHG) emissions are doing than we ever had about the Nazi program. The holocaust was only clear in hindsight, and even now has its fringe deniers. In hindsight, later this century, I suspect we're not going to look one iota better than the post-war Germans did in the mid-twentieth century.
I know everybody and his dog attacked Elizabeth May for making a similar analogy, but I fail to find any substance to the criticisms. The analogy is a perfectly good one, from a rational-logical point of view.
This rather depressing meditation is sparked by Canada's and the US' abysmal performance in Bali. Canada, the US, and Japan are clearly today's global "bad guys", attempting to block progress on a further climate-change agreement. You can't have missed this in the news, but if you want some references, here are a few sites to visit:
The Globe and Mail Dec 12 "Canada killing European effort to cut emissions"
The Globe and Mail Dec 11 "Canada facing wave of climate criticism"
TheStar.com - CP video Dec 10 "Canada assailed at Bali climate talks"
TheStar.com Dec 2 "Climate change critics fear Canada's Influence"
TheStar.com Dec 12 Letters to the editor
David Suzuki Foundation - Bali Blog
Avaaz.org
Climate Action Network (Issue 8, Page 2 is a good starting place.)
Stop Climate Chaos Coalition - Canada
Greenpeace Climate Weblog
Sierra Club
Too strong an analogy? Well, that depends on what you believe about the causes and potential impact of climate change. The apparent scientific consensus suggests that inaction on climate change will be tantamount to genocide, with entire island nations set to disappear under the waves, to name only one predicted effect. Is there uncertainty about that? Well, some people seem to think so. Was there uncertainty about what Hitler was doing? Absolutely. We actually have much better advance insights into what greenhouse gase (GHG) emissions are doing than we ever had about the Nazi program. The holocaust was only clear in hindsight, and even now has its fringe deniers. In hindsight, later this century, I suspect we're not going to look one iota better than the post-war Germans did in the mid-twentieth century.
I know everybody and his dog attacked Elizabeth May for making a similar analogy, but I fail to find any substance to the criticisms. The analogy is a perfectly good one, from a rational-logical point of view.
This rather depressing meditation is sparked by Canada's and the US' abysmal performance in Bali. Canada, the US, and Japan are clearly today's global "bad guys", attempting to block progress on a further climate-change agreement. You can't have missed this in the news, but if you want some references, here are a few sites to visit:
The Globe and Mail Dec 12 "Canada killing European effort to cut emissions"
The Globe and Mail Dec 11 "Canada facing wave of climate criticism"
TheStar.com - CP video Dec 10 "Canada assailed at Bali climate talks"
TheStar.com Dec 2 "Climate change critics fear Canada's Influence"
TheStar.com Dec 12 Letters to the editor
David Suzuki Foundation - Bali Blog
Avaaz.org
Climate Action Network (Issue 8, Page 2 is a good starting place.)
Stop Climate Chaos Coalition - Canada
Greenpeace Climate Weblog
Sierra Club
Bush Perpetrating Climate Hoax, Says House Committee
It seems that many people believe that there is no scientific consensus that the global warming we are currently experiencing is caused by human activity and greenhouse gases. They believe this is a hoax perpetrated by people with a political axe to grind, and they include the IPCC in this category. I would simply discount this as a fringe phenomenon, if I didn't have more than one friend in this category.
In any case, if there's hoaxing going on, at least some of it seems to be working in the other direction. The US House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Government Reform has just released a report finding that "the Bush Administration has engaged in a systematic effort to manipulate climate change science and mislead policymakers and the public about the dangers of global warming."
The report goes on to say: "White House officials and political appointees in the agencies censored congressional testimony on the causes and impacts of global warming, controlled media access to government climate scientists, and edited federal scientific reports to inject unwarranted uncertainty into discussions of climate change and to minimize the threat to the environment and the economy."
I should look at some of the unbelievers' materials to see whether they can be easily refuted - although that may not be the most effective way to direct my energies on the climate issue. In the mean time, there are two things that keep me moving forward:
1. Ulterior motives for discounting the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are easy to find! (Oil industry interests would be sufficient all by themselves.) But I have trouble envisaging any possible ulterior motive for a systematic, world-wide "conspiracy" to lay false blame on human activity.
2. If there is doubt, I would rather take appropriate precautions instead of gambling my children's inheritance of a habitable planet on the hopes that the current apparent scientific consensus is wrong.
In any case, if there's hoaxing going on, at least some of it seems to be working in the other direction. The US House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Government Reform has just released a report finding that "the Bush Administration has engaged in a systematic effort to manipulate climate change science and mislead policymakers and the public about the dangers of global warming."
The report goes on to say: "White House officials and political appointees in the agencies censored congressional testimony on the causes and impacts of global warming, controlled media access to government climate scientists, and edited federal scientific reports to inject unwarranted uncertainty into discussions of climate change and to minimize the threat to the environment and the economy."
I should look at some of the unbelievers' materials to see whether they can be easily refuted - although that may not be the most effective way to direct my energies on the climate issue. In the mean time, there are two things that keep me moving forward:
1. Ulterior motives for discounting the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are easy to find! (Oil industry interests would be sufficient all by themselves.) But I have trouble envisaging any possible ulterior motive for a systematic, world-wide "conspiracy" to lay false blame on human activity.
2. If there is doubt, I would rather take appropriate precautions instead of gambling my children's inheritance of a habitable planet on the hopes that the current apparent scientific consensus is wrong.
Thursday, December 6, 2007
Green Issues by Level of Government
This post actually focuses on climate-change issues, in recognition of the Bali talks currently underway, and the upcoming Dec 8 global action on climate change.
A huge amount of action on climate change depends on policies, regulatory mechanisms, and incentives that only government can provide. So, a large part of what you, as an individual, can do is to pressure your governments at all levels to take timely and serious action on climate issues, and encourage others to do the same.
My last post told you how to contact various levels of government - if you live in the same part of the world that I do. Today's post suggests some of things that should be on the agenda for various levels of government - particularly in Canada, since the division of responsibilities may be different elsewhere.
These are just a few suggestions. Please add your suggestions as comments, or email to me at rcosbey@gmail.com.
Climate-Change Issues for the National Government
A huge amount of action on climate change depends on policies, regulatory mechanisms, and incentives that only government can provide. So, a large part of what you, as an individual, can do is to pressure your governments at all levels to take timely and serious action on climate issues, and encourage others to do the same.
My last post told you how to contact various levels of government - if you live in the same part of the world that I do. Today's post suggests some of things that should be on the agenda for various levels of government - particularly in Canada, since the division of responsibilities may be different elsewhere.
These are just a few suggestions. Please add your suggestions as comments, or email to me at rcosbey@gmail.com.
Climate-Change Issues for the National Government
- Support for the Kyoto Protocol, and developing a strong extension to it in Bali this month. In Canada and the US, call for a reversal of the national government attempts to sabotage the Kyoto protocol.
- Incentives for sustainable energy development, especially wind and solar. (Neither fossil fuels nor uranium-resource-based nuclear energy are sustainable.)
- In Canada, the tarsands project, and its contribution to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
- Participation in State/Province GHG-reduction alliances, such as the Western Regional Climate Action Initiative.
- In Saskatchewan and Alberta, the tarsands project, its contribution to GHG emissions, and its effect on the local environment.
- Studying and communicating local adaptation issues. For example, southern Saskatchewan faces probable desertification due to global warming. The provincial government needs to assure adequate clean water supplies, and identify required changes in agricultural practices. (Northern Saskatchewan issues will likely be different.)
- Incentives for sustainable energy development, same as for the national government.
- Energy-efficient transportation strategies, including re-building our rail systems.
- Incentives and funding for municipal GHG-reduction initiatives.
- Incentives for increased local processing and consumption of agricultural produce and natural resources, etc., to decrease transportation requirements.
- Effective reduction in automobile traffic, through massive improvements to public transportation, increased investment in daily-use bike paths, zoning policies that reduce the need for automobile traffic, restoration of passenger rail service, etc.
- Make public buildings and institutions more climate friendly, by improving energy efficiency, using sustainable energy sources, locating services more centrally, purchasing local goods and services so as to reduce transportation requirements, etc.
- Preparing adaptation strategies, e.g. adequate clean water supplies in the face of possible drought or desertification scenarios.
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Government Contacts
To contact your elected representatives about green issues, you need to know how! I've figured out how to find contact information online for my country (Canada), province (Saskatchewan), and city (Regina), so I'm posting that here for the convenience of my compatriots. If you have similar information for other parts of the country or the world, feel free to add a comment to this post. (Any problems, contact me at rcosbey@gmail.com.)
Canada
To find contact information for your Canadian Member of Parliament (MP):
- Go to the Elections Canada - Electoral District and MP Search Page. (Aussi disponible en français.)
- Find your electoral district (by postal code or other)
- Under "Your Member of Parliament" ("Votre député"), click on "Click here for more information"
For the Canadian Prime Minister, Minister of the Environment, or other Minister:
- Go to the Parliament of Canada - Current Cabinet page. (Aussi disponible en français.)
- Find the appropriate title, and click on the corresponding MP name
Saskatchewan
To identify your Saskatchewan Provincial Constituency - if you don't already know:
- Use the Elections Saskatchewan - Constituency Locator Page
To find contact information for your Saskatchewan Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA):
- Go to the Legislative Assembly - Constituency Office Addresses page. Search the page for your MLA name or Constituency name.
- You can also find Legislative Building address and phone numbers on the Members of the Legislative Assembly page.
To find contact information for the Saskatchewan Premier, Minister of the Environment, or other Minister:
- Go to the Government of Saskatchewan - Cabinet page.
- Search the page for the title you want, then click on that minister's name or photo.
Regina
To find contact information for your City Councillor:
- Go to the City of Regina - Ward Map page.
- Click on your Ward or the Councillor name to display a page containing email and phone numbers.
- You can send mail to your Councillor at City Hall, 2476 Victoria Avenue, Regina, S4P 3C8
For the Mayor:
- Visit the City of Regina - Mayor's Office page.
Canada
To find contact information for your Canadian Member of Parliament (MP):
- Go to the Elections Canada - Electoral District and MP Search Page. (Aussi disponible en français.)
- Find your electoral district (by postal code or other)
- Under "Your Member of Parliament" ("Votre député"), click on "Click here for more information"
For the Canadian Prime Minister, Minister of the Environment, or other Minister:
- Go to the Parliament of Canada - Current Cabinet page. (Aussi disponible en français.)
- Find the appropriate title, and click on the corresponding MP name
Saskatchewan
To identify your Saskatchewan Provincial Constituency - if you don't already know:
- Use the Elections Saskatchewan - Constituency Locator Page
To find contact information for your Saskatchewan Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA):
- Go to the Legislative Assembly - Constituency Office Addresses page. Search the page for your MLA name or Constituency name.
- You can also find Legislative Building address and phone numbers on the Members of the Legislative Assembly page.
To find contact information for the Saskatchewan Premier, Minister of the Environment, or other Minister:
- Go to the Government of Saskatchewan - Cabinet page.
- Search the page for the title you want, then click on that minister's name or photo.
Regina
To find contact information for your City Councillor:
- Go to the City of Regina - Ward Map page.
- Click on your Ward or the Councillor name to display a page containing email and phone numbers.
- You can send mail to your Councillor at City Hall, 2476 Victoria Avenue, Regina, S4P 3C8
For the Mayor:
- Visit the City of Regina - Mayor's Office page.
Monday, November 19, 2007
Global Action on Climate Change, 08 Dec
On December 8, Rally Around the Earth for Climate Justice and a Safer, Healthier Planet!
- www.actfortheearth.org/climatechaos
In December, 190 countries will meet in Bali, Indonesia for the UN Kyoto Climate Talks to negotiate our future. Join hundreds of thousands of people in at least 50 countries (and counting) who will be on the streets to demand that world leaders take urgent action to stop climate chaos.
- www.climatechaos.ca (taken from regular poster on tab "Dec 8")
There are currently actions planned in 16 Canadian cities (in 10 provinces) for the December 8 global day of action to stop climate chaos. Check back at www.climatechaos.ca often for updated information. Organizing an event for December 8 that's not listed? Let us know!
Check details at www.climatechaos.ca to see if there's an event planned in your community. If not, there's not much time left, but even a token event will help send a message.
- www.climatechaos.ca
To find contacts in other countries around the world, or to register a contact for a country not yet listed, see the Global Climate Campaign website.
- www.actfortheearth.org/climatechaos
In December, 190 countries will meet in Bali, Indonesia for the UN Kyoto Climate Talks to negotiate our future. Join hundreds of thousands of people in at least 50 countries (and counting) who will be on the streets to demand that world leaders take urgent action to stop climate chaos.
- www.climatechaos.ca (taken from regular poster on tab "Dec 8")
There are currently actions planned in 16 Canadian cities (in 10 provinces) for the December 8 global day of action to stop climate chaos. Check back at www.climatechaos.ca often for updated information. Organizing an event for December 8 that's not listed? Let us know!
Check details at www.climatechaos.ca to see if there's an event planned in your community. If not, there's not much time left, but even a token event will help send a message.
- www.climatechaos.ca
To find contacts in other countries around the world, or to register a contact for a country not yet listed, see the Global Climate Campaign website.
UN/IPCC - Climate Change Worse Than We Thought
On 17 November, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released its fourth report, summarizing its overall findings. Information for the press is available in text format or video. Ban Ki-moon's comments are reported on the UN News site.
All major news media covered this story, including the CBC. One of the better articles I've seen online is from the International Harold Tribune (IHT): Alarming UN report on climate change too rosy, many say. The IHT coverage includes a related article: Ban calls climate change 'defining challenge of our age'. A search for "climate change" on the IHT shows quite a few other good articles on the subject.
The IPCC report "is expected to form the basis of discussions in Bali next month when world leaders gather under the auspices of the UN to try to agree to a successor pact to the Kyoto Protocol on greenhouse gas emissions, which is due to expire by 2012," according to the UN news site.
All major news media covered this story, including the CBC. One of the better articles I've seen online is from the International Harold Tribune (IHT): Alarming UN report on climate change too rosy, many say. The IHT coverage includes a related article: Ban calls climate change 'defining challenge of our age'. A search for "climate change" on the IHT shows quite a few other good articles on the subject.
The IPCC report "is expected to form the basis of discussions in Bali next month when world leaders gather under the auspices of the UN to try to agree to a successor pact to the Kyoto Protocol on greenhouse gas emissions, which is due to expire by 2012," according to the UN news site.
Sask Election Results: Greens Quadruple Vote
If you haven't yet seen the results of the 2007 Saskatchewan election, there's a great analysis posted on the Green Party of Canada site by Jim Harris: "Greens Quadruple vote in Saskatchewan".
Some of the Green Party Sask highlights are:
Official results will be posted at Elections Saskatchewan when available. In the mean time, everyone's using their unofficial results.
Some of the Green Party Sask highlights are:
- Green candidates in 48 out of 58 constituencies (83%).
- Green votes, province-wide: 9,076 (2.0%), versus 2,323 votes (.55%) in 2003.
Official results will be posted at Elections Saskatchewan when available. In the mean time, everyone's using their unofficial results.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Green Party #3 in Canada Today
The latest Strategic Counsel survey for the Globe and Mail/CTV News shows the Green Party in third place, nationally. The Green Party, with 13%, has overtaken both the NDP (12%) and the Bloc Quebecois (11%) for the first time ever. (Click here for full report.)
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Growth Economy?
One significant factor contributing to our current environmental crisis is our growth economy. To be successful and attract investors, corporations need to show growth in revenue, in sales, in market share, and in profitability. Countries measure their economic health by growth in Gross Domestic Product (GDP). One result is that we reward and value wasteful, unnecessary production much more than we do quiet conservation. Even ignoring wastefulness, simple grade-school arithmetic tells us that a never-ending growth economy operating in a finite world is unsustainable - a fact most governments and coroporate spokespersons choose to ignore.
Sandra Finley, Leader of the Green Party of Saskatchewan, has written a pertinent article on the need for change in our economic indicators. I recommend it to my readers. Click here to view Sandras's article.
Sandra Finley, Leader of the Green Party of Saskatchewan, has written a pertinent article on the need for change in our economic indicators. I recommend it to my readers. Click here to view Sandras's article.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
"Must See" Video - Climate Action Risk Analysis
I never guessed from the title what this video was about. It's a compelling logical argument for action, whether you believe climate change is a man-made catastrophe waiting to happen, or whether you're among those who thinks that hasn't been proved. Watch the video. Think about it. If you think there's a flaw in his reasoning, let me know. If not, spread the word!
Click here to watch the video:
The Most Terrifying Video You'll Ever See
Click here to watch the video:
The Most Terrifying Video You'll Ever See
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Campaign Brochure
Here's my campaign brochure, finally! This is the official Green Party Sask brochure, with my pictures & bio inserted. I'll be picking up 500 printed copies from FuturePrint on Monday afternoon. I'm also hoping to distribute the brochure electronically, to reach more people and save costs ($ and trees). Send a link to this post to any friends who might be interested! Click on the images to see larger, readable versions.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Support My Campaign!
If you're wondering WHAT campaign, I'm running as a Green Party candidate in the Nov 7 Saskatchewan elections. See my reasons for running in the Oct 17 posting: Saskatchewan Election, or go to my profile on the Green Party Sask site.
If you're wondering WHETHER to support my campaign, see the links mentioned above, as well as the other postings on this blog. You're also welcome to contact me using the contact information posted on my profile page.
If you're wondering HOW to support my campaign, read on!
JOIN US
If you'd like to be on my supporters list, please email me, or join the Facebook group Vote Robert Cosbey! Supporters may receive news updates and occasional calls for help.
If you'd like to join the Green Party of Saskatchewan, please go to our web site. Or, if you don't want to join, but want to be on the Party supporters list, email me.
DONATE
Help me print brochures, buy ads, put up signs, and other stuff that takes money!
Tax breaks: If you're a resident of Saskatchewan, you'll get substantial tax credits: 75% of donations from $25 to $400, somewhat less on larger donations, as described on the Elections Saskatchewan site (scroll down to "Tax Receipts"). If you're out of province, unfortunately, you probably won't get any tax break for donating to a Sask political party.
How to donate: Cheques are good. Make payable to "Regina Lakeview Campaign - Green Party Sask", or "Regina Lakeview Campaign - GPS". Send or deliver to me at 290 Angus Crescent, Regina, SK S4T 6N4, or to my business manager, Donna Nelson, 1114 Courtney St, Regina, SK S4T 7R8. Cash works too, in person. Or, you can email funds to me using PayPal ("send money" to rcosbey@gmail.com) or HyperWallet ("beam cash" to rcosbey@gmail.com).
Receipts: If all your donations to the Green Party of Saskatchewan, including donations to my campaign, total $25 this year, you will receive an official tax receipt after year-end. If you pay by cheque, your cancelled cheque will serve as a temporary receipt. If you give a cash donation of $25 or more, Donna will issue you a temporary receipt. For PayPal or HyperWallet donations, online transaction records will serve as a temporary receipt, or you can request a temporary receipt.
Any questions? Please contact me.
VOLUNTEER
Please email me or phone me at (306) 533-1901 if you can help out with any of the following:
Distributing Signs to people who request them.
Distributing Brochures door-to-door throughout the Constituency.
Knocking on Doors - if you're familiar with Green Party policy and have aptitude or experience in canvassing.
Contacting Known Supporters about helping us through donations of time or money, or displaying our signs.
Finding More Supporters among your friends and internet contacts.
Maintaining Lists of supporters, signs placed, donations received, etc. using shared electronic documents.
Promoting Media Coverage in any way.
Enhancing Internet Presence by improving search engine visibility and creating postings and links, e.g. on facebook, wikipedia, bulletin boards, etc.
Providing General Office Help such as folding brochures, stuffing envelopes, etc.
Lining Up Speaking Opportunities
Assisting with Campaign Management by helping to suggest directions and priorities, and helping to coordinate all of the above.
Let's work together to build a greener tomorrow!
If you're wondering WHETHER to support my campaign, see the links mentioned above, as well as the other postings on this blog. You're also welcome to contact me using the contact information posted on my profile page.
If you're wondering HOW to support my campaign, read on!
JOIN US
If you'd like to be on my supporters list, please email me, or join the Facebook group Vote Robert Cosbey! Supporters may receive news updates and occasional calls for help.
If you'd like to join the Green Party of Saskatchewan, please go to our web site. Or, if you don't want to join, but want to be on the Party supporters list, email me.
DONATE
Help me print brochures, buy ads, put up signs, and other stuff that takes money!
Tax breaks: If you're a resident of Saskatchewan, you'll get substantial tax credits: 75% of donations from $25 to $400, somewhat less on larger donations, as described on the Elections Saskatchewan site (scroll down to "Tax Receipts"). If you're out of province, unfortunately, you probably won't get any tax break for donating to a Sask political party.
How to donate: Cheques are good. Make payable to "Regina Lakeview Campaign - Green Party Sask", or "Regina Lakeview Campaign - GPS". Send or deliver to me at 290 Angus Crescent, Regina, SK S4T 6N4, or to my business manager, Donna Nelson, 1114 Courtney St, Regina, SK S4T 7R8. Cash works too, in person. Or, you can email funds to me using PayPal ("send money" to rcosbey@gmail.com) or HyperWallet ("beam cash" to rcosbey@gmail.com).
Receipts: If all your donations to the Green Party of Saskatchewan, including donations to my campaign, total $25 this year, you will receive an official tax receipt after year-end. If you pay by cheque, your cancelled cheque will serve as a temporary receipt. If you give a cash donation of $25 or more, Donna will issue you a temporary receipt. For PayPal or HyperWallet donations, online transaction records will serve as a temporary receipt, or you can request a temporary receipt.
Any questions? Please contact me.
VOLUNTEER
Please email me or phone me at (306) 533-1901 if you can help out with any of the following:
Distributing Signs to people who request them.
Distributing Brochures door-to-door throughout the Constituency.
Knocking on Doors - if you're familiar with Green Party policy and have aptitude or experience in canvassing.
Contacting Known Supporters about helping us through donations of time or money, or displaying our signs.
Finding More Supporters among your friends and internet contacts.
Maintaining Lists of supporters, signs placed, donations received, etc. using shared electronic documents.
Promoting Media Coverage in any way.
Enhancing Internet Presence by improving search engine visibility and creating postings and links, e.g. on facebook, wikipedia, bulletin boards, etc.
Providing General Office Help such as folding brochures, stuffing envelopes, etc.
Lining Up Speaking Opportunities
Assisting with Campaign Management by helping to suggest directions and priorities, and helping to coordinate all of the above.
Let's work together to build a greener tomorrow!
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Press Conference
Regina and area Green Party candidates held a press conference at the city Floral Conservatory yesterday. You can see some of the Regina Leader-Post coverage online, including an article by Karen Brownlee, and a video posted on the 2007 Election Saskatchewan page. For the video, look for "Green Party in election", under "Multimedia", at the lower left corner of the page.
A Google search also found a very telgraphic report from News Talk 980.
A Google search also found a very telgraphic report from News Talk 980.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Saskatchewan Election
Wow! It's been over a week since I found time to post to this blog. What happened is I agreed to run for the Green Pary of Saskatchewan (GPS), and just a couple of days later, the writ was dropped for an election on 07 Nov. Instant innundation!
I had been approached about being a GPS candidate some time earlier. (An activist friend had given my name to the party leader.) I had to think about a few things before I said yes. One was, whether participation in the political process was as effective as putting my energies into an advocacy group. Another was whether I thought there was any chance that nuclear power was actually an effective way to reduce greenhouse gases (GHGs), despite their obvious environmental, economical, and security problems. (Answer: NO.) The third was, could I justify taking votes away from the NDP and helping the Saskatchewan Party to form the government? That's a tough call, but in the end, I have to stop choosing among the various people I'm opposed to, and start voting for what I believe in. It's our undemocratic, first-past-the-post voting system that keeps people from voting for what they believe in, and GPS has electoral reform as a strong plank in their platform.
More writings about my position are posted on my candidate profile and (soon) at GoGreenRegina. More about the GPS can be found at the GPS web site. And, look for future entries in this blog - when time permits. Elections are busy times!
I had been approached about being a GPS candidate some time earlier. (An activist friend had given my name to the party leader.) I had to think about a few things before I said yes. One was, whether participation in the political process was as effective as putting my energies into an advocacy group. Another was whether I thought there was any chance that nuclear power was actually an effective way to reduce greenhouse gases (GHGs), despite their obvious environmental, economical, and security problems. (Answer: NO.) The third was, could I justify taking votes away from the NDP and helping the Saskatchewan Party to form the government? That's a tough call, but in the end, I have to stop choosing among the various people I'm opposed to, and start voting for what I believe in. It's our undemocratic, first-past-the-post voting system that keeps people from voting for what they believe in, and GPS has electoral reform as a strong plank in their platform.
More writings about my position are posted on my candidate profile and (soon) at GoGreenRegina. More about the GPS can be found at the GPS web site. And, look for future entries in this blog - when time permits. Elections are busy times!
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
The Global Warming Crisis
Surely everyone is now aware that there is a great deal of concern and discussion about global warming.
Is anyone still seriously questioning that global warming is happening, or that it is largely caused by human activity? UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon thinks not. In his summary of the Sep 2007 UN high-level event on climate change, attended by “heads of state and other top officials from more than 150 countries” (including Stephen Harper), he said “I heard the world's leaders confirm that climate change is indeed happening, and is largely caused by human activity.”
References:
United Nations High-Level Event Webcast. "The Future in Our Hands."
United Nations Environment Program Press Release. "High-Level Event on Climate Change."
Is it really a major problem? So what if it gets a few degrees warmer? So what if species extinction rates rise to 10,000 times the natural rate? In other words, what is the probable consequence of inaction, or too little action too late? Might it lead to an out-and-out collapse of civilization, or extinction of the human species? There isn't the same consensus on this question. Many might shy away from such a question, claiming there isn't a solid scientific basis for an answer. At the same time, there sure doesn't seem to be a science-based consensus that such catastrophic outcomes are implausible. So, if we fail to act decisively now, I guess we'll find out in a few years – but personally, I don't think it's worth the risk. Some of the sources I consider credible, informative, and downright scary include Al Gore's book and movie “An Inconvenient Truth”, the BBC documentary Global Dimming, and the UN Webcast “A Way Forward: Confronting Climate Change”.
References:
Klaus Toepfer, United Nations Under-Secretary General and Executive Director, UNEP. "Editorial."
Climatecrisis.net. An Inconvenient Truth (website)
BBC. "Horizon: Global Dimming."
United Nations High-Level Event Webcast. "The Future in Our Hands."
To get a feeling for how widespread the concern is, search for “global warming” on Google. I get 11.9 million hits! The level of concern varies, of course, from site to site. For instance, globalwarming.org seems to be promoting the message that global warming isn't really that bad or isn't solidly established scientifically, and that if we all ignore the problem it will get better faster. This one doesn't seem to pass the sanity test. I am reminded of Naomi Klein's comments to the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (Feb 2007) about why the CCPA should be able to succeed with lower funding than right-wing think tanks: “It is much cheaper to convince people that to do good is good, bad – bad; because we know this!”
Reference:
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. Naomi Klein videos.
It's not just “alternative” or “left-wing” thinkers that think we've got a big problem, though. In addition to the concern expressed by heads of states at the recent UN high-level event, the Canadian Council of Chief Executives has gone on record as considering climate change to be "the most pressing and daunting issue", and have called for aggressive action including "absolute" emissions cuts.
Reference:
Elizabeth May website. "Green Party welcomes CEOs' call for tough action on climate change"
There's no end of information out there to help you make your decision. As for me, I think the crisis is as serious a threat as we've ever faced, and should be our number one priority. I think it's entirely appropriate to adopt a war-time mentality about this: recognize the threat, mobilize all available resources to combat it, and get everyone working towards the same goal. There are key differences between this situation and war-time, of course. In wartime we often see an abrogation of democratic process, whereas I believe our main hope of winning this "war" lies in making sure the people have an effective voice. In war-time we have human enemies, but to win this “war” we all need to become allies. But the sense of urgency and willingness to sacrifice should be there. The good news is, we may not have to sacrifice much! Mostly, we have to redirect. In the long run, and maybe even in the short, the move to sustainable energy will generate considerable efficiencies and economic activity.
Is anyone still seriously questioning that global warming is happening, or that it is largely caused by human activity? UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon thinks not. In his summary of the Sep 2007 UN high-level event on climate change, attended by “heads of state and other top officials from more than 150 countries” (including Stephen Harper), he said “I heard the world's leaders confirm that climate change is indeed happening, and is largely caused by human activity.”
References:
United Nations High-Level Event Webcast. "The Future in Our Hands."
United Nations Environment Program Press Release. "High-Level Event on Climate Change."
Is it really a major problem? So what if it gets a few degrees warmer? So what if species extinction rates rise to 10,000 times the natural rate? In other words, what is the probable consequence of inaction, or too little action too late? Might it lead to an out-and-out collapse of civilization, or extinction of the human species? There isn't the same consensus on this question. Many might shy away from such a question, claiming there isn't a solid scientific basis for an answer. At the same time, there sure doesn't seem to be a science-based consensus that such catastrophic outcomes are implausible. So, if we fail to act decisively now, I guess we'll find out in a few years – but personally, I don't think it's worth the risk. Some of the sources I consider credible, informative, and downright scary include Al Gore's book and movie “An Inconvenient Truth”, the BBC documentary Global Dimming, and the UN Webcast “A Way Forward: Confronting Climate Change”.
References:
Klaus Toepfer, United Nations Under-Secretary General and Executive Director, UNEP. "Editorial."
Climatecrisis.net. An Inconvenient Truth (website)
BBC. "Horizon: Global Dimming."
United Nations High-Level Event Webcast. "The Future in Our Hands."
To get a feeling for how widespread the concern is, search for “global warming” on Google. I get 11.9 million hits! The level of concern varies, of course, from site to site. For instance, globalwarming.org seems to be promoting the message that global warming isn't really that bad or isn't solidly established scientifically, and that if we all ignore the problem it will get better faster. This one doesn't seem to pass the sanity test. I am reminded of Naomi Klein's comments to the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (Feb 2007) about why the CCPA should be able to succeed with lower funding than right-wing think tanks: “It is much cheaper to convince people that to do good is good, bad – bad; because we know this!”
Reference:
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. Naomi Klein videos.
It's not just “alternative” or “left-wing” thinkers that think we've got a big problem, though. In addition to the concern expressed by heads of states at the recent UN high-level event, the Canadian Council of Chief Executives has gone on record as considering climate change to be "the most pressing and daunting issue", and have called for aggressive action including "absolute" emissions cuts.
Reference:
Elizabeth May website. "Green Party welcomes CEOs' call for tough action on climate change"
There's no end of information out there to help you make your decision. As for me, I think the crisis is as serious a threat as we've ever faced, and should be our number one priority. I think it's entirely appropriate to adopt a war-time mentality about this: recognize the threat, mobilize all available resources to combat it, and get everyone working towards the same goal. There are key differences between this situation and war-time, of course. In wartime we often see an abrogation of democratic process, whereas I believe our main hope of winning this "war" lies in making sure the people have an effective voice. In war-time we have human enemies, but to win this “war” we all need to become allies. But the sense of urgency and willingness to sacrifice should be there. The good news is, we may not have to sacrifice much! Mostly, we have to redirect. In the long run, and maybe even in the short, the move to sustainable energy will generate considerable efficiencies and economic activity.
Monday, October 8, 2007
Blog Created
Hi. I'm Robert Cosbey. I live in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. I haven't done much to save the world in the last ten years, aside from composting, recycling, etc., but a combination of factors has pushed me into action again. I'm now retired, so theoretically I have more time. (Ha!) I have three kids - now young adults, and I would really like there to be a world for them and possibly their children to live in fifty years from now. Al Gore's excellent movie "An Inconvenient Truth" didn't quite get me moving, but the BBC's "Global Dimming" did. And an old friend had been prodding me to run for the Green Party of Saskatchewan (GPS) for some time. So last week I let my name stand as GPS candidate for my constituency.
I believe global warming is a huge crisis; that massive and immediate action is required to forestall irreversible cataclysmic environmental changes (such as the melting of the Greenland ice cap); and that environmental catastrophe is already upon us, and has already caused many deaths, including death from drought in the Sahel region of Africa and heat-wave deaths in Europe. Australia's drought is reaching catastrophic proportions as well.
Now it looks as if a Saskatchewan provincial election will be called this Wednesday, and I need a site to let voters know who I am, what I believe, and what I stand for. At the same time, I want a site that is informative and useful to those concerned about climate change and other "green" issues, regardless of political context and to some extent regardless of geographical location. Because of the urgency to get something up, I chose to use what I was already familiar with: using www.blogger.com to set up blog hosted at blogspot.com. It lacks some features I would like, but it will have to do for now.
I believe global warming is a huge crisis; that massive and immediate action is required to forestall irreversible cataclysmic environmental changes (such as the melting of the Greenland ice cap); and that environmental catastrophe is already upon us, and has already caused many deaths, including death from drought in the Sahel region of Africa and heat-wave deaths in Europe. Australia's drought is reaching catastrophic proportions as well.
Now it looks as if a Saskatchewan provincial election will be called this Wednesday, and I need a site to let voters know who I am, what I believe, and what I stand for. At the same time, I want a site that is informative and useful to those concerned about climate change and other "green" issues, regardless of political context and to some extent regardless of geographical location. Because of the urgency to get something up, I chose to use what I was already familiar with: using www.blogger.com to set up blog hosted at blogspot.com. It lacks some features I would like, but it will have to do for now.
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