While Harper’s Conservative government have now admitted that climate change is an important issue they have refused to implement effective policy to tackle the problem. They have even gone so far as to successfully watering down a climate change deal at the recent Commonwealth meeting.
Now it seems they are attempting to suppress any reports highlighting the high costs of the governments inaction.
Authors of the Natural Resources Canada report, called From Impacts to Adaptation: Canada in a changing climate 2007, say many of the findings are consistent with recent international reports. They are baffled that the government has delayed its release, which was expected last month.
The report finds that climate change could lead to:
- lower water levels in the Great Lakes region which could hamper the shipping industry as well as hydroelectric power.
- a decrease in fisheries resources, including one of BC’s most valuable fish species Sockeye salmon
- more conflicts over the oil and minerals in Canada’s north as the ice melts, as well as additional environmental damage.
“The implications for Canadians and the Canadian economy are serious and significant,” said [NDP environment critic Nathan] Cullen, who is leaving for Bali today. “The government cannot just simply pretend (those impacts) are not there, and it’s amazing to me that they have done so little work on this. And, what little work they’ve done, they’re trying to suppress because it’s politically uncomfortable for them.
How can we expect a proper debate over policy when the government hides the true costs of its inaction?
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