In the '70s when I was a student, the most pressing climate concerns were acid rain and the discovery of an alarming hole in the ozone layer.
My professors warned that there was also an increasing threat of global warming if emissions from burning coal, oil and gas were not contained. But we had a few years to fix that problem.
Models indicated that our planet would experience rising sea-levels and more frequent extreme weather events if nothing was done to reduce carbon emissions.
They predicted that in 40-50 years, by 2020, we could be in serious trouble.
What happened?
Scientists found that acid rain was caused by industrial emissions (sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide) combining with water in the atmosphere.
Acidic rain was shown to be killing lakes, harming fish, depleting nutrients in forests and corroding metal and limestone infrastructure.
Governments accepted their expert advice. In 1985 Europe signed the Helsinki agreement on Reduction of Sulfur Emissions.
Canada, represented by conservative Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, signed an Air Quality Agreement with the USA in 1991.
Acid rain decreased and is no longer a major threat.
At the same time a widening hole in the protective ozone layer of the atmosphere had been discovered. Scientists raised the alarm that we needed to stop using chlorinated fluorocarbons (CFC’s).
A few countries decided to phase out CFC’s in the early '80s but it needed a wider international agreement.
In 1987 the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone layer was signed by 46 countries and it now has over 200 signatories.
It worked and the ozone hole repaired over time.
These leaders respected the evidence and found their political will to address the issue of air-borne pollutants.
Here we are in 2024 and our carbon emissions have risen every year. There is no plan to rein in the fossil fuel industry.
B.C. proposes to expand methane production dramatically and build seven liquefied natural gas plants.
Studies show LNG is neither clean nor green. Total emissions including leaks from fracturing rocks for gas, are worse than coal.
What will it take?
Scorching temperatures of the 2021 heat-dome magnified by climate change, killed 619 people.
Then Lytton burned to the ground.
Okanagan communities suffered major losses from the White Rock Lake fire.
An atmospheric river washed out the Coquihalla highway, costing billions in repairs.
In 2023, over 300 homes burned in West Kelowna and Shuswap.
Last year one-third of the town of Jasper was destroyed by fire and more than 20,000 people evacuated.
It’s time to abandon the false hope of wealth from fossil fuels.
An unstable climate is costing our economy in deaths, lost homes, massive repairs, food shortages and increased insurance.
Is it worth it?
Imagine if leaders found the political will of past leaders to move our energy production to renewables.
We could have a clean energy supply and a stable climate.
Fossil fuels are so last century!
Heather Clay is a member of the North Okanagan division of Climate Action Now!
