FFWD Weekly
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by Maureen McNameeDr. David Suzuki, a renowned expert on climate change, is shifting his focus from trying to convince people that global warming is a reality to showing them what can be done about it.
"Our position is that it’s long past time debating about whether this is really happening. The evidence is overwhelming," he says.
"We just think it’s time to start talking about solutions."
At the federal level, one of Suzuki’s solutions is to implement legislation restricting greenhouse gas emissions to ensure Canada meets its commitments.
More than two years ago at a conference in Kyoto, Japan, Canada agreed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by six per cent from 1990 levels, with a target date of between 2008 and 2012. Since that time, emissions have increased by more than 13 per cent – in order to meet the target, the country would now have to reduce emissions by about 20 per cent.
"As far as I understand, we’re committed to Kyoto, we’ve signed on to that. What the government is saying is that we’re not going to make it," he says.
"I think the really humiliating thing is that our government hasn’t really made an effort."
He explains the government’s only attempt has been to request voluntary reduction. It hasn’t worked – Canadians are incredibly inefficient, largely because energy is so cheap.
And as time goes on, it becomes more difficult to reverse the trend – Suzuki notes that it would now take a 20 per cent reduction to meet the initial goal.
"Every day we don’t get serious about this makes it harder and harder to meet this. We need legislation."
Suzuki says the primary opponents of the Kyoto Protocol are those involved in the fossil fuel industry, who state it would be devastating to the economy to try and meet the goal. He argues that they are overlooking the potential savings (natural disasters, crisis in industries such as fishing, and the health care costs of problems linked to global warming all come at a cost) and the economic opportunities, not to mention the general well-being of the planet.
"That whole economic argument is a scam put out by people with a vested interest in keeping things going the way they are."
He suggests that government "tax the bad things" and "untax the good things." He does not deny that his plan would have a negative financial impact on shortsighted companies that produce SUVs or make profits from non-renewable energy sources, but says it would also open the door to new economic opportunities for farsighted companies with green products and services, such as the new hybrid car by Honda that reduces emissions by up to 80 per cent.
"There will be tremendous benefits for the people who do the right thing."
For example, he says a study of 100 companies in Canada and the U.S. that reduced their energy output by 50 per cent showed they can save millions of dollars.
"It’s obvious, if you can cut your heating costs by 50 per cent, it’s money in the bank."
A company in Toronto is making money off that premise. The Better Building Program, set up by the government and now running as a private company, offers to retrofit buildings to reduce their energy consumption. The company pays the cost of the work, and once it’s completed, the owner pays the company the amount it saves on its energy bill each month until the work is paid off.
"It works like a charm," Suzuki says. "Once they’ve paid back the amount it cost to retrofit, they make money because their bill drops way down."
On the energy front, he believes the future is in wind power and solar power, which are growing at a faster rate than the oil industry. "It’s now very, very mainstream," he says. "This can be very, very significant."
Suzuki points to Enmax as an example of a progressive company that is promoting wind power as an alternative – customers can support it by paying a small surcharge on their electric bill, which the company uses to put the green energy on the power grid.
"Enmax is pushing the idea that clients in Calgary can buy green power," he says. "I think that has a real chance of growing."
Enmax spokesperson Tony McCallum says the program started two years ago, and although it hasn’t caught on as quickly as Enmax would have liked, the city company is about to launch a new marketing strategy which it hopes will help generate more interest – and green energy.
"It’s a proven technology – that has been demonstrated not only in Calgary – that will produce power in areas... that have a lot of wind, without any of the unfortunate emissions that accompany other types of power productions, such as coal or even natural gas," says McCallum.
"I think it’s the right thing to do whenever and wherever we can."
The new marketing initiative will also make the option less complicated – customers can choose to pay $5, $10 or $15 per month to support the program, with each $5 being equivalent to 75 kilowatts of energy, or roughly 15 per cent of the average monthly household consumption.
"We were the first ones in Canada to offer this kind of option," he adds. "I think there is interest in this kind of thing."
Suzuki may be frustrated by the government’s lack of action, but he sees many opportunities for businesses and individuals to make a difference. He will discuss some of the practical and economically viable solutions to climate change at Power Shift: Cool Solutions to Global Warming on Thursday, April 20. The multi-media event includes an exhibition of wind and solar power, transportation and energy conservation alternatives, and public transit solutions.
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