biodiversity

Wednesday September 25, 2024

Pierre Poilievre's push for a carbon tax election is an opportunity for Canadians to confront the costs of climate inaction—but the debate must focus on real solutions, not just slogans.

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday September 25, 2024

Bring on the Carbon Tax Election: Confronting the Reality of Climate Change and the Cost of Inaction

Many political leaders, once champions of carbon pricing, are now abandoning their principles and pandering to populist pressures for electoral gain, sacrificing crucial climate action in the process.

September 14, 2024

Pierre Poilievre’s “Axe the Tax” campaign has struck a chord with many Canadians, positioning him as the frontrunner for the next election and framing the carbon tax as Public Enemy Number One. His rallying cry comes at a time when Canadians are struggling with inflation, housing shortages, and skyrocketing costs. But in the rush to ease voters’ anxieties, Poilievre is pushing an agenda that, in its simplicity, ignores a complex and pressing issue—climate change. The real danger isn’t the carbon tax itself, but the absence of any credible plan to address the climate crisis if Poilievre gets his way. In calling for a carbon tax election, Poilievre may get what he wants, but the real debate Canadians need is not just about scrapping a tax, but about how we will pay for the massive costs of climate inaction.

As Andrew Phillips highlights in his Toronto Star piece, while Canada prepares to abandon its carbon pricing strategy, the rest of the world is moving in the opposite direction. The Financial Times recently praised carbon pricing as the most efficient way to reduce emissions and incentivize cleaner energy. There are now 78 carbon pricing mechanisms in place globally, covering a quarter of global emissions. This growing global consensus reflects a simple economic principle: when you put a price on carbon, you force polluters to pay for the damage they cause, encouraging them to innovate and reduce emissions.

Opinion: The rest of the world knows the best tool to fight climate change. Canada is abandoning it

Polling shows Canadian youth are increasingly favouring the Conservatives over the Liberals, motivated by a yearning for change and disappointment with the Trudeau government's performance, with hope pinned on a potential economic upturn under a Poilievre leadership.

May 17, 2024

Yet, in Canada, Poilievre’s campaign feeds on fear and misinformation, painting a picture of economic devastation that carbon pricing simply hasn’t caused. Phillips points out how Poilievre’s claims of “mass hunger” and “nuclear winter” if the carbon tax increases are ludicrous. This kind of hyperbole might win votes, but it does a disservice to Canadians by treating them like they can’t handle the truth about the costs of climate policy. Phillips reminds us that the alternatives to carbon pricing—industrial pricing or green subsidies—are far more costly. There is no free lunch. We either pay for reducing emissions now, or face higher costs later, not only in dollars but in the mounting damage from unchecked climate change.

The global reality that Phillips emphasizes is crucial to understanding the stakes. Countries that don’t price carbon will increasingly face penalties on exports through mechanisms like the European Union’s carbon border adjustment tax. Canada, too, will not be exempt from this economic shift if it abandons carbon pricing. The world is moving away from fossil fuels, and the price for not keeping up will be steep—not just environmentally, but economically. This isn’t fear-mongering; it’s the reality of global trade and the green transition that Canada will have to navigate whether or not Poilievre wants to admit it.

Opinion: The conservative defeat of carbon pricing is the defeat of economics – and of conservatism

Trudeau's unwavering support for carbon pricing in the face of opposition underscores its essential role in Canada's climate action, contrasting with Pierre Poilievre's lack of a credible alternative, emphasizing the imperative for pragmatic solutions in confronting the urgent threat of climate change.

March 14, 2024

On the other hand, Andrew Coyne’s analysis in The Globe and Mail also lays bare the political and economic stakes of scrapping carbon pricing. Coyne argues that Poilievre’s “Axe the Tax” campaign may be brilliant politics but it is deeply flawed policy. By focusing only on the immediate costs of the carbon tax, Poilievre avoids confronting the much larger costs of doing nothing. Coyne points out that it’s not the tax itself that’s the problem—it’s the lack of a viable alternative. What Poilievre is offering Canadians is a temporary reprieve from paying for climate policy, but at the expense of real long-term solutions.

Like Phillips, Coyne highlights that while carbon pricing may not be popular, it is one of the most efficient tools we have to reduce emissions. The alternative—whether it’s more regulation, industry-targeted taxes, or massive green subsidies—is likely to be far more expensive. And, as Coyne reminds us, without a carbon tax, Canada risks falling behind in a global economy increasingly shaped by environmental policies. One Globe reader astutely observed that Poilievre is setting Canadians up to pay one way or another—whether through environmental destruction or through tariffs on our exports in the global market. Either way, we cannot dodge the costs.

The heart of the problem with Poilievre’s campaign is its focus on short-term political gain at the expense of long-term sustainability. He has tapped into real voter frustrations about affordability, but he’s selling Canadians a false choice. His message suggests that we can have lower costs today without paying for it tomorrow—a claim that simply doesn’t hold up in the face of climate science and economic reality.

As Black Friday sales week coincides with the Trudeau government's economic struggles, the unveiling of a carbon tax pause and questionable economic decisions leave the Prime Minister facing a significant political blowout, with polls shifting toward the Conservative Party and skepticism growing about the Liberals' ability to manage both the economy and climate change.

November 21, 2023

Phillips rightly criticizes the vacuum of leadership in Canada’s climate policy debate. The Trudeau government, once hailed for introducing carbon pricing, now faces political abandonment, even from former allies like the NDP. As Canadians turn away from the Liberals, they’re not demanding a credible climate alternative—they’re just rejecting the current plan. Poilievre has capitalized on this by framing carbon pricing as the enemy, without offering any serious plan for how he would deal with the climate crisis.

Coyne echoes this criticism, noting that Poilievre’s anti-carbon tax stance is all about the politics of the moment and not about policy for the future. Coyne argues that the Conservatives have failed to offer any meaningful proposals to address climate change. The reality is that we can’t escape the costs of reducing emissions. Whether through a carbon tax or another mechanism, we will have to pay to clean up our economy. Scrapping the carbon tax without a credible replacement is simply kicking the can down the road—an irresponsible move for a country already experiencing the impacts of global warming.

If Poilievre wants a carbon tax election, let’s have one. But let’s ensure it’s based on facts, not the kind of fear-mongering he’s peddling. As both Coyne and Phillips argue, the real debate isn’t whether we need to pay for climate policy—it’s how we pay for it. Canadians deserve to hear the truth: fighting climate change will cost money, but failing to act will cost much more. If Poilievre wants to lead the country, he needs to offer a serious plan for reducing emissions, not just a catchy slogan.

At the end of the day, Canadians must confront the reality that the climate crisis isn’t going away. The rest of the world knows this, and while they’re adopting carbon pricing, we’re at risk of moving backwards. If Poilievre’s “Axe the Tax” campaign succeeds, it will be a political win for him, but a loss for Canada. And as Phillips warns, even if we dodge the carbon tax at home, we’ll pay the price in the international arena.

A carbon tax election could be the moment where Canadians finally confront the truth about the cost of climate action—or inaction. But to get there, we need an honest debate, not political theatre. (AI)

 

Friday June 21, 2024

The escalating impacts of climate change, symbolized by metaphorical "Four Horsemen" including extreme heat gripping continents from North America to Asia, underscore the urgent need for global action to mitigate rising temperatures and their profound consequences on human health, infrastructure, and ecosystems.

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday June 21, 2024

* Turn up the volume and find an animated making-of version of this cartoon through this link!

The Four Horsemen of the Climate Crisis

July 29, 2023

As the world marks the first day of summer amidst scorching temperatures and record-breaking heatwaves, the spotlight once again turns to one of the most immediate and pressing consequences of climate change: extreme heat. Metaphorically speaking, climate change has unleashed its own “Four Horsemen” upon our planet—each representing a distinct yet interconnected aspect of the crisis that imperils our future.

The Horseman of Extreme Heat silently claims lives under sweltering temperatures that strain our health systems and test our resilience. This horseman has been relentless, gripping continents from North America to Asia in a stifling embrace. In India, temperatures soared to 44-45°C (113°F), breaking records and pushing communities to their limits. The prolonged heatwaves have led to power cuts, water shortages, and tragically, dozens of heat-related deaths.

March 21, 2023

Across North America, a “heat dome” has settled, trapping warm air and pushing temperatures above 38°C (100°F) in many regions. Millions are under heat alerts, and cities like New York are opening cooling centres to protect vulnerable populations. Meanwhile, in Europe, Greece and other Mediterranean countries are grappling with early and intense heatwaves, prompting closures of historic sites and heightened wildfire risks.

In Saudi Arabia, pilgrims performing Hajj in Mecca faced temperatures exceeding 51°C (124°F), resulting in tragic fatalities among attendees. This stark reality underscores the deadly consequences of extreme heat, especially in regions unaccustomed to such severe temperatures.

News: Millions sweltering under extreme heat worldwide as summer arrives

November 19, 2021

The Horseman of Extreme Floods continues to wreak havoc, with recent events in Europe and Asia highlighting the catastrophic impacts of intensified rainfall and rising sea levels. These floods are not mere anomalies but glaring indicators of a climate system in turmoil, pushing vulnerable communities to the brink and demanding urgent adaptation measures.

July 21, 2022

The Horseman of Extreme Weather amplifies the fury of hurricanes, droughts, and wildfires, disrupting lives and ecosystems with increasing frequency and severity. The 2020 Atlantic hurricane season and the Australian bushfires vividly demonstrate the devastating power of these weather extremes, exacerbated by a changing climate.

4 Waves Cartoon

The Horseman of Biodiversity Loss and Extinctions signals the unraveling of ecosystems and the loss of irreplaceable species. Coral reefs, polar habitats, and forests are under siege, threatening global biodiversity and the services these ecosystems provide.

Amidst these challenges, skeptics resort to Whataboutery—drawing false equivalences to divert attention from the urgency of climate action. They question the severity of extreme heat, downplaying its impact compared to other societal issues. However, the data is unequivocal: rising global temperatures are driving more frequent and intense heatwaves, exacting a heavy toll on human health, infrastructure, and economies.

FOX News: Heat kills more Americans than flooding, tornadoes, hurricanes or lightning

As wildfires begin to ravage Canada, leaving destruction and devastation in their wake, it's time to confront a different kind of blaze—one fuelled not by dry vegetation and high winds, but by misinformation and climate denialism.

May 14, 2024

To confront these horsemen effectively, bold and decisive action is imperative. We need transformative policies that accelerate the transition to renewable energy, enhance resilience in vulnerable communities, and prioritize sustainability in every facet of our societies. Global cooperation must prevail, transcending political divides to safeguard our planet and future generations.

As individuals and as a global community, we hold the power to mitigate climate change’s worst effects. Let us not falter in our resolve. Let us heed the warning signs and act decisively to steer humanity toward a future where climate resilience, ecological health, and social justice are not just aspirations but realities for all. (AI)

 

Saturday December 17, 2022

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday December 17, 2022

Why is COP15 important?

The definition of “biodiversity” is: “The variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem.” Biodiversity encompasses all aspects of life — genes, species and ecosystems — and it is currently in imminent danger. That means we are too.

December 10, 2022

The COP15 UN biodiversity conference runs from Dec. 7 to 19 in Montreal with 196 counties trying to agree on a plan to stop biodiversity loss and help restore nature because our fate as the human race is inextricably linked to the rest of nature. The plan is to protect at least 30 per cent of our lands and oceans by 2030 and the biodiversity that we depend on to survive.

Elizabeth Mrema, UN biodiversity head, has described the conference as “calling for ambitious outcomes.”

“Clearly the world is crying out for change, watching our governments seek to heal our relationships with nature,” she says.

The 2022 WWF Living Planet Report warned that global wildlife populations declined by 70 per cent from 1970 to 2022. This accelerating loss of nature has already impacted human well-being and economies. Healthy ecosystems also play indispensable roles in tackling climate change, and the loss of biodiversity weakens our resilience to that change. We are stripping our planet so aggressively and unsustainably that the resources we depend on will soon be extinct.

The 2022 Global Biodiversity Framework’s four goals focus on conservation, sustainable use of biodiversity, fair benefit-sharing, and “resource mobilization” (more funding). The targets cover expanding protected areas (like the Greenbelt that Premier Ford will destroy with his outdated Bill 23 legislation), reducing pollution to ensure food production is healthy and sustainable and phasing out billions of dollars of public subsidies that harm nature. That’s why Bill 23 is a direct contradiction to COP15 and needs to be repealed.

November 23, 2022

Bill 23 will harm the Greenbelt, create more biodiversity loss, increase urban sprawl and emissions that will also affect Peterborough. It will also pollute prime agricultural land that was protected for growing local food and poison the soil and crops that grows there.

So, when Dave Smith says that Bill 23 will not affect Peterborough, he is wrong because this legislation will harm our environment and human health by allowing municipalities to move away from environmental protection and build big carbon footprint housing developments on protected land near protected waterways, wetlands and forests.

It’s hard work to balance the environment with the economy. That’s why we need politicians and governments who can do both because they are both connected to each other. By passing Bill 23, the Ford government has shown it doesn’t know how to make this connection work for the common good. It’s a fine balance, but a balance crucial to the health and survival of our biodiverse human race. (The Peterborough Examiner) 

From sketch to finish, see the current way Graeme completes an editorial cartoon using an iPencil, the Procreate app, and a couple of cheats on an iPad Pro … These sped up clips are posted to encourage others to be creative, to take advantage of the technology many of us already have and to use it to produce satire. Comfort the afflicted. Afflict the comforted.