What does it take for Canada to act?

Typhoon Haiyan has devastated the Philippines with almost four thousand confirmed dead and tens of thousands more injured.

It is irresponsible to discuss this natural disaster without mentioning COP 19 — the United Nations Climate Change Conference, on now in Warsaw, Poland. It is at COP19 that the world is supposed to be working on solutions to climate change.

At this conference, the Philippines delegate, Yeb Sano, announced he "will voluntarily refrain from eating food during this COP, until a meaningful outcome is in sight." As part of his tearful speech, he pleaded: "What my country is going through as a result of this extreme climate event is madness, the climate crisis is madness. We can stop this madness right here in Warsaw."

Traditionally, scientists shy away from linking specific weather events with climate change. Instead, they tend to say things like "more intense storms like Typhoon Haiyan are the types of weather events we can expect more frequently as a result of climate change."

Canada’s performances under Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s leadership at climate talks such as COP19 have been absolutely shameful. For the last six consecutive years, the Climate Action Network has declared Canada the most obstructive nation at each annual conference.

These types of comments should be enough to inspire action. If the global community wants to avoid storms like Typhoon Haiyan, then we need to do something about global warming.

Professor Will Steffen, a researcher at the Australian National University and a climate change expert, has made an even stronger link between climate change and Typhoon Haiyan. He is quoted as saying: "Once (cyclones) do form, they get most of their energy from the surface waters of the ocean. We know sea-surface temperatures are warming across the planet, so that's a very direct influence of climate change on the nature of the storm."

Hurricanes, cyclones and typhoons are not the only reasons we need to combat climate change.

There are frightening conclusions just released via a leaked draft version of an Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report called "Climate Change 2014: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability." IPCC publications are the most diligently vetted scientific documents ever produced.

There are many concerns worth noting, but just to give a scope of the potential damage consider these points:

•"Climate change indirectly increases risks from violent conflict in the form of civil war, inter-group violence, and violent protests by exacerbating well-established drivers of these conflicts such as poverty and economic shocks."

•"Throughout the 21{+s}t century, climate change impacts will slow down economic growth and poverty reduction, further erode food security, and trigger new poverty traps, the latter particularly in urban areas and emerging hot spots of hunger."

We often think of climate change as a faraway problem. The image of a polar bear clinging to a small block of ice in the Arctic generally comes to mind. What we are learning through IPCC research publications is that climate change can be linked to and exacerbate serious, deadly problems that have major impacts on people across the planet.

Annual international climate change conferences like the one in Poland are the only opportunities the international community has to come together and develop an agreement to slow the rate of anthropogenic climate change.

Canada's performances under Prime Minister Stephen Harper's leadership at climate talks such as COP19 have been absolutely shameful. For the past six years, the Climate Action Network has declared Canada the most obstructive nation at each annual conference.

Our prime minister is currently offering condolences and aid money to the Philippines. However, in addition to condolences, Canadians should be offering our apologies. Canada has offered the Philippines $5 million and deployed our emergency response team to the ravaged nation. Instead of calling our financial support "aid," we should be calling them "reparations" for our reckless behaviour.

Above all else, Canadians have a moral duty to the world to remove Harper from power and replace him with a prime minister who has a competent strategy to solve this problem.

Hamilton 350 Blog

A Withdrawal that could change the Weather

Climate action group promoting credit unions over big banks

CARSON

Cathie Coward,The Hamilton Spectator

Dave Carson of Hamilton 350

nextplay/pausepre1/4

ByMeredith MacLeod

A Hamilton climate change action group is urging consumers and institutions to take their money out of Canada's big banks.

Hamilton 350 is joining 350.org and OurClimate.ca in declaring Nov. 5 Move Your Money Day. The campaign is aimed at universities and colleges, municipalities, religious organizations and individual investors and targets 200 oil, natural gas and coal companies.

Dante Ryel, a member of Hamilton 350, says the same tactic worked to undermine apartheid in South Africa.

But it's not just a moral stance but a sound economic argument too, said a group of Hamilton 350 representatives who spoke to The Spectator's editorial board Tuesday.

The World Bank, the International Panel on Climate Change and other investment groups have said there is more "carbon in the ground than we can afford to burn if we're going to survive," said member Dave Carson.

"But those assets are valued into the companies' stock prices. If they are stranded, that bubble would burst."

The International Energy Agency calculates that the fossil fuel industry will need to leave about 80 per cent of their reserves of coal, oil, and gas in the ground in order to meet targets set for global warming. It's estimated the reserves are worth about $20 trillion.

Consumers, communities and institutions should invest in credit unions, which are member-owned, invest in community development and don't directly invest in fossil fuel holdings, says Ryel.

About 40 schools, local governments and churches have committed to divesting from oil, gas and coal in the United States, according to 350.org. They include Seattle, San Francisco. Portland, Ore., and Ann Arbor, Mich.

The impact could be huge if widely adopted. It's estimated the top 500 university endowments alone hold nearly $400 billion in investments.

Ryel, an energy systems engineering student at Mohawk College, says he has reached out to Mohawk, McMaster and the City of Hamilton to talk about bank divestment. Ryel says his calls and emails aren't returned.

"I think the biggest roadblock is Canada's culture. The influence of the fossil fuel industry has on every single aspect of Canadian culture is incredible."

The Move Your Money Day campaign began in the United States out of the Occupy movement and resentment over the bailout of big banks.

There are ethical and green investment funds but Ryel says so far there isn't one that filters out fossil fuel companies.

350.org says giant oil, gas and coal are profiting while environmental damage climbs.

"If it is wrong to wreck the climate, then it is wrong to profit from that wreckage," has become a mantra.

The 350 in the organization's name refers to the measurement of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere in parts per million. Leading climate scientists have determined that 350 parts per million is a safe level for the earth. But each year, the needle climbs a little so that it sits at about 390 ppm today.

That will mean rising temperatures and sea levels, increased frequency of extreme weather and famine and drought, local 350 members warn.

"We believe climate change is not an issue, it's the issue," said Carson. He accused a number of institutes funded by big oil companies of disregarding the science of climate change and spreading misinformation.

"The International Panel on Climate Change determined that it is 95 per cent certain that climate change is happening and that it's caused by human activities," echoed Ryel.

"That's the same level of certainty that cigarettes are bad for human health."

mmacleod@thespec.com

905-526-3408 | @meredithmacleod

A Line in the Sand

Headwaters to streams and rivers leading to Lake Ontario

There is an increasingly polarized but submerged dynamic in Canada which revolves around pipelines, resource extraction, First Nations, and climate change. Sometimes the tensions rise to the surface and more awareness is created. This is what is happening right now in Ontario, Canada, in areas traversed by the “Line 9” pipeline.

Enbridge Inc. currently uses a 38 year old pipeline (Line 9) to transport petroleum from Montreal to Sarnia. Thirty-eight year old pipelines are not thick: this one is ¼ inch thick, and it measures 30 inches in diameter. Replacement pipes are ½ inch thick.

Enbridge is proposing to reverse the flow of this pipe (so that “product” runs from west to east), increase the volume of flow by 25%, and run diluted bitumen through it to Montreal, then to Portland Maine, where it can be refined and exported.

Years ago, the notion of running diluted bitumen through such a pipe would not have been considered. Not only does diluted bitumen (dil bit) have the consistency of peanut butter, but it contains abrasives such as pyrite and quartz. The flow creates friction, which raises the material's temperature, and makes it more corrosive. Additionally, cancer-causing condensates such as benzene, toluene, hydrogen sulphide, n-hexane, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons must be added to the toxic mix.

New pipelines dedicated to the transport of diluted bitumen are ¾ of an inch thick. They are coated outside for corrosion, and inside for abrasion, and they are 36 inches in diameter.

Normally, such a reckless proposal would at least trigger a federal Environmental Assessment with full public disclosure; however, now that Omnibus Bills C-38 and C-45 have been passed, the company is only required to request a National Energy Board (NEB) hearing (scheduled for August). Unfortunately, though, the NEB process is akin to a “rubber stamp” process, since public access to the hearings is restricted by an onerous application protocol, and the findings of the hearing can be overturned by the federal government.

An important impediment for Enbridge is the fact that the pipeline runs through unceded Mohawk Territory. According to the Canadian Constitution (1982), projects such as this that cross First Nations territories must first secure Free, Prior, and Informed Consent from First Nations, and this has not been secured.

Enbridge, likely anticipating that there would be resistance to its project, engaged in what could accurately be defined as "influence peddling" in communities through which the pipeline runs. In Hamilton, for example, Enbridge donated money to the police. Near the pumping station in Flamborough, home to the Beverly Swamp, ( a Class 1 protected wetland, and headwaters to streams and rivers feeding Lake Ontario), they provided funding for a baseball diamond.

Some may be fooled, but Enbridge’s track record is not exceptional. Between 1990 and 2010, they had 804 reportable spills in North America. If/when Line 9 leaks or bursts, the air will be contaminated by cancer-causing toxins, and the land and waters will be contaminated by diluted bitumen, which sinks to the bottom of wetlands, rivers, etc. A recent spill in Kalamazoo, Michigan bears all the hallmarks of what a spill will look like here.

It is in this context, and with late night construction crews working on reversing the lines at the North Westover Pumping Station BEFORE securing NEB approval, that a tipping point was reached which triggered a blockade and occupation of the station.

The protestors included First Nations peoples and a diverse contingent of peaceful (and well-informed) activists. Police made a number of arrests, and the blockade/occupation is now over, but the activism has already created a pause for reflection and awareness.

Awareness sometimes means debunking corporate myths. For example, people who support pipelines often mention jobs, but pipelines are largely self-sustaining once installed, and alternate sources of energy offer far more jobs. Additionally, increased reliance on a rip and ship extractive economy creates a high petro dollar which eliminates rather than creates jobs.

Others think of tar sand pipelines as a “necessary or lesser evil”, but why choose evil? The global atmospheric levels of carbon are now at 400 parts per million (ppm), and climate change is already wreaking fatal and expensive havoc throughout the world.

Discussions also involve First Nations issues. Increasingly, Canadians are learning that First Nations issues and their issues are intertwined. Canada’s neglect of its peoples and its environment are interconnected issues that are tarnishing our country and our international reputation.

Many of us are no longer willing to settle for Canada’s diminished stature, and many more are becoming aware of the imperatives of science-based policy-making, and the need to transition away from fossil fuels.

The blockade at Flamborough is a sign of our discontent, and a sign of our need for progressive change.

Mark Taliano

MarkTaliano is based in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, and is an Anchor for Allvoices.
Report Credibility

Alberta Floods

A simple message to Albertans and all Canadians: Connect the Dots

Tar sands oil releases carbon into the atmosphere...

.... Global Warming ...

... Climate Change ...

... Severe Weather...

... Catastrophic Events...

... This:

Hamilton 350 Blog

Fighting Pipelines is not Enough

For the first time in three million years our planet has approached 400 parts per million(ppm) of carbon dioxide (CO₂) in the atmosphere. CO₂, as many people know, is the most important greenhouse gas (GHG) emission particle contributing to the dangerous environmental crisis we know as climate change. For reference, many scientists suggest that the safe level of GHG emissions is 350 ppm. For those of us concerned about climate change, and the future of our species, 400 ppm is a significant landmark, prompting reflection on Canadian climate change policy and environmentalist strategy.

One of the most significant threats to climate change mitigation in Canada is the expansion of the carbon-intensive tar sands industry. Environmentalist organizations and concerned citizens across North America are trying to prevent the expansion of tar sands extraction by blocking pipelines. To the south of Alberta there is the battle over Keystone XL, to the west there is the Northern Gateway pipeline and to the east there is the reversal of the Line 9 pipeline. Blocking these pipelines is an essential part of climate change mitigation, but it is also important to consider the bigger picture.

People trying to address the problem of climate change are on the defensive. If our atmosphere were a bathtub, then we could say that Canada is cranking open the tap at a time when the tub is already about to overflow. Pipeline activists are focused on opening the tap less quickly when our society needs to be draining the tub. The rate at which GHG emissions are pumped into our atmosphere should be decreasing at this point in history, not just increasing less quickly.

Nothing will address the root cause of climate change more effectively than putting a significant price on C0₂. With a price on carbon we can make polluting so expensive that emitting massive amounts of GHG emissions is no longer an economically viable option. A price on carbon targets all sources of GHG emissions in one fell swoop, including but not limited to tar sands’ diluted bitumen pipelines.

Gone are the days when Conservative fear-mongering around a price on carbon can sway voters. In the recent BC provincial election the debate was not about whether there should be a price on carbon but instead on how high this price should be.

At the federal level things might seem less hopeful. Peter Kent, our environment minister, recently said that the five consecutive “fossil” awards Canada has received for obstructing progress at international climate change conferences are “worn with honour.” While Conservatives are flaunting their incredibly immoral climate change policies, and in the process undermining the interests of the majority of Canadians who are desperate for climate change action, their popularity is suffering as a result.

It is only a matter of time before Canada, and the world, adopts a price on carbon. Citizen’s Climate Lobby Canada is attempting to lubricate this process by promoting one of the most exciting carbon pricing options available. They call it the carbon fee and dividend. This policy mandates that the government collects money from polluters who emit GHG emissions and that this revenue is dispersed back to the public in equal amounts in the form of a dividend. Unlike other carbon taxes, this revenue neutral strategy would financially benefit poor and middle class Canadians who live a low carbon lifestyle.

For those of us who are serious about combating climate change, we need to speak out in favour of a price on carbon while we are also speaking out against tar sands pipelines.

Hamilton 350 Blog

Twelve Canadian Scientists weigh in on Climate Change

 Read CBC News article here: Government should 'grow up' on climate change

Letter to Joe Oliver:

Stop Line 9 Reversal

Here are reasons why we have to stop the reversal of Line 9 pipeline from Sarnia to Montreal.

I am not going to discuss the inevitable environmental destruction when Line 9 ruptures and spills its toxic contents into the Green Belt of Southern Ontario. I am not going to delve into the facts as to why the condition of the 40-year old pipeline will be incapable of safely transporting the more corrosive tar sands bitumen.

Here is what is the real push behind the Line 9 reversal.

The Harper government and its constituents, Big Oil companies, are in a panic. Expansion plans for tar sands development are on hold. Big Oil cannot deliver its product to its customers. TransCanada's Keystone XL pipeline through the U.S.A. to Texas, while temporarily suspended by U.S. President Barack Obama, has divided citizens south of the border. It has received fierce opposition in Nabraska and other states.

Big Oil's Plan B is Enbridge's Northern Gateway pipeline with hopes to bring tar sands oil to tanker terminals in Kitimat, B.C., to be shipped to China. Harper and his oil men are so desparate that they have sold out to China, and given CNOOC (Chinese National Offshore Oil Company) the right to sue for damages at any level, federal, provincial or municipal, if decisions are made that damage CNOOC's expected return on investment.

The Northern Gateway pipeline will never see the light of day. Our First Nations brothers and sisters will make certain of that.

Which brings us to Plan C, to reverse the flow of Line 9 in order to move tar sands oil as diluted bitumen (dilbit) from Alberta through Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Ontario, Quebec, Vermont, New Hamshire, to Portland, Maine.

Why is the Harper goverment and Big Oil so desparate and in such a hurry to sell tar sands oil?

Because of global warming and climate change.

The rest of the world, particularly European countries, are able to see the potential devastation caused by escalating carbon emissions. European countries are light years ahead of U.S.A. and Canada "we'll do what big brother does" in developing renewable energy. The Alberta tar sands deposits are the second largest deposits of carbon on the planet, next to the oil fields of Saudi Arabia. If the carbon from the Alberta tar sands were to be released, it would be game over for humanity. European nations know this. The rest of the world knows this. It is only a matter of time when the global community boycotts Canada for its role in poisoning the global atmosphere.

Here is the ultimate irony. Harper and Big Oil needs to get tar sands bitumen out of the Alberta fast because of global warming and climate change. It is only a matter of time when the global community suffers irreversibly from the release of too much carbon into the atmosphere. And time is running out!

The tar sands is cash in the ground as Harper and Big Oil see it. Liquidating the tar sands is not about the well-being of Canadians or protection of the environment. It is about Big Oil stuffing their pockets with money. Harper and Big Oil is desperate and determined to cash in on this bounty before the door closes.

This is not just about pipelines. This is about tar sands.

This is a Call for Action!

Hamilton Line 9
Council of Canadians
http://canadians.org/blog/?p=17878
Council of Canadians Line 9 blog
Stop Line 9 - Toronto
Environmental Defence
The dilbit disaster in Kalamazoo
http://rabble.ca/news/2012/09/enbridge-line-9-other-other-pipeline
http://rabble.ca/news/2012/11/toronto-conference-lays-basis-mass-challenge-tar-sands-pipeline
http://www.watershedsentinel.ca/content/line-9-shipping-tar-sands-crude-east


Hamilton 350 Blog