Adapt or Die ~ new climate slogan
Experts are warning: Adapt or die
Adapting to rising seas and higher temperatures is expected to be a big topic at the UN climate-change talks in Copenhagen next week, along with the projected cost — hundreds of billions of dollars, much of it going to countries that cannot afford it.
This is the headline from the COP 15 website...the situation is so serious that all the stops have been pulled out, the 'nice' language is gone, it is time to get down and dirty.
There was a proposal for Canada to be suspended from the Commonwealth because of its policy and inaction on climate change, and at the Commonwealth talks, even the Queen was adamant about action:
"The threat to our environment is not a new concern but it is now a global challenge that will continue to affect the security and stability of millions for years to come."
UN Chief Ban Ki-Moon said Canada must step up in setting a mid-range goal to curb emissions. "Many countries, developed and developing countries, have come out with ambitious targets," Ban said.
"And Canada, as one of the leading G8 countries, and G20, Canada is going to soon chair G8. Therefore, it is only natural that Canada should come out with ambitious targets as soon as possible."
In the past few weeks I've had quite a few discussions over the so-called "ClimateGate" situation, not about the "scandal", but primarily around whether human beings need a crisis to act and turn things around. Have you noticed that the countries and places where climate change is severe are the ones taking action? For example, the British government knows it is threatened by sea level rise, therefore they are more progressive on the issue: BBC has a great section on climate change, BC has a carbon tax because people know that the lower mainland could go underwater, the Maldives already don't have fresh ground water, why don't Canadians care when we have the longest oceanfront in the world?
When is the government of Canada going to wake up to the reality and have real leadership?