On March 29th 2022 the federal government released its 2030 Emission Reductions Plan.
At first blush, the Plan appears to be significant, some might even say aggressive. However, given recent warnings from the world scientific community, I am very disappointed.
First, the good news – there are some positive commitments in the new federal Plan, including:
- An additional investment of $458.5 million for the Canada Greener Homes Loan program plus $150 million towards the development of the Canada Green Buildings Strategy.
- A $2.2‑billion renewal of the Low Carbon Economy Fund, which aims to leverage further climate actions from provinces and territories, municipalities, universities, colleges, schools, hospitals, businesses, not-for-profit organizations, and Indigenous communities and organizations.
- A major commitment towards making it easier for Canadians to switch to electric vehicles, including $400 million for zero-emission vehicles charging stations, and $1.7 billion to extend the Incentives program that will make it more affordable and easier for Canadians to buy and drive new Zero-Emission Vehicles.
- An investment of an additional $600 million to support renewable electricity and grid modernization projects and $250 million to support predevelopment work for large clean electricity projects, in collaboration with provinces.
- As investment in nature and natural climate solutions with an additional $780 million to deliver additional emission reductions from nature-based climate solutions.
- An investment of $470 million to help farmers adopt sustainable practices such as cover crops, rotational grazing, and fertilizer management, plus $330 million to triple current funding available to support the development and purchase among farmers of more energy-efficient equipment.
With the release of this plan, the federal government has committed to reaching an emissions reduction target of 40 percent below 2005 levels by 2030, and has recommitted itself to Canada achieving Net-Zero Emissions by 2050. These goals are similar if not identical to those of most industrialized nations.
Just a few years ago, given what was known at the time, net-zero emissions by 2050 was a laudable goal. Given recent developments, this is definitely no longer the case.
The world scientific community has concluded that even if we limit the increase in global warming to 2°C, which is no longer believed possible — particularly if we wait until 2050 to be emissions free – the massive negative feedback loops that will be set in motion will be so powerful that humanity’s emissions reductions will have been too late.
The Amazon rainforest is already no longer a carbon sink, absorbing massive amounts of carbon. It is now a carbon emitter.
The rapidly melting tundra will soon begin to release enormous amounts of methane, as well as other poisons. While carbon released into the atmosphere has a warming effect, methane release is substantially more heat producing.
The planet’s food production capability is now predicted to collapse long before the 2050 deadline for Canada and most other industrialized nations to reach zero emissions. California has been warning for years that productive farmland is being permanently lost due to extreme droughts caused by global warming. The loss of food producing capacity in California is now so great that there is a very real likelihood that the state will have to permanently ban food exports within the near future.
When, not if this happens, it will impact BC’s food security, causing prices to rise and supermarket shelves to ultimately lose the variety of fresh produce we take for granted.
We have a catastrophe on our hands. Our entire house is on fire. The federal government must commit itself to zero emissions by 2024 at the latest. This will require all political parties, unions, the business community, and the general public to immedicably come together.
Achieving zero emissions by 2050 is no longer a goal that will save humanity from extinction.
Daily atmospheric CO2 [Courtesy of CO2.Earth]
Latest daily total (Mar. 31, 2022): 420.29ppm
One year ago (Mar. 31, 2021): 417.41 pm
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