Drowning in a desert of despair, the meaning of an “aspirational goal,” and dressing up as CEO's for Halloween
The Colossally Irrational Report - September and October have been the worst months ever
My Scottish/Irish ancestors arrived on the east coast of Turtle Island in the late 1700’s or early 1800’s and were part of several waves of genocidal colonization of the Indigenous people who were already here. I know I have benefited as a result, and I find this deeply troubling. I like to start every new post by explaining my family’s history and keeping this foremost in my mind (and my writing) at all times. I moved west with my family in the 1970’s and am grateful to be here, producing this newsletter in Moh’kinsstis, and the traditional Treaty 7 territory of the Blackfoot confederacy: Siksika, Kainai, Piikani, as well as the Îyâxe Nakoda and Tsuut’ina nations. This territory is also home to the Métis Nation of Alberta, Region 3 within the historical Northwest Métis homeland. I recognize that the land I now work and live on was stolen from these nations (truth) and I support giving the land back as an act of reconciliation.
In early September, I was posting ironically about the Burning Man festival, a huge annual event celebrating “community, art, self-expression and self-reliance.”
But when the Black Rock Desert in Nevada received 2-3 months worth of rain in 24 hours, the “self-reliance” turned into a bit of a joke.
It all seemed so weirdly prescient. But it was by no means a true representation of the devastation we face if climate action isn’t taken more seriously.
A month later, we are faced with the absolute brutality of another festival, this one also in the desert but about three miles from the Gaza border in Israel. Known as the Supernova music festival, a “journey of unity and love.” According to a report in The Guardian, the exact location was not revealed until a few hours before.
Despite the secrecy, Hamas was able to execute a coordinated attack on the festival, as well as on 20 border communities in Israel, slaughtering more than 1,300 people, mostly civilians, and many children. They have also taken more than 125 of hostages.
By now, everyone knows that Israel has declared war on Hamas and the situation unfolding in Gaza is absolutely terrifying. World leaders are both tacitly supporting the Israeli government in what may turn out to be war crimes, and also trying to de-escalate the crisis through diplomacy. Yes, you read that correctly. They are doing both.
Around the world, “Free Palestine” protests have sprung up as the Israeli army gathers along the border of Gaza preparing for an all-out ground war. Israel has ordered about a million Palestinians to move south or suffer the consequences. In possible violation of the international laws of war, they’ve cut off electricity, food aid, and water supplies to civilians. Escape routes offered to Palestinians have been bombed (it isn’t clear who is responsible yet).
Authorities said at least 2,600 people in Gaza had been killed by Israeli airstrikes, a quarter of them children, and nearly 10,000 people have been wounded. Another 1,000 people were missing and believed to be dead.
Yet, this unfolding tragedy is not even our most deadly problem.
In no way would I want to downplay the horror of what is happening to the people of Israel and of Palestine. Their leaders are failing them in so many ways.
Climate change remains our biggest global crisis, yet our leaders are failing to recognize the urgency of the problem.
But climate change is killing more people every year than the combined death tolls of both the murderous rampage of Hamas terrorists and the ruthless Israeli government’s response.
Our leaders are also failing us on climate change and there will be deadly consequences.
Climate change kills mostly people in the poorest countries
A recent report from the United Nations World Meteorological Organization (WMO) estimated extreme weather-related disasters had surged over the last 50 years. The report states that between 20-50,000 people have died annually due to weather, climate and water-related hazards. EVERY YEAR.
That’s about two million people at least, over the last five decades, because the numbers are noted to be conservative estimates. About 90 per cent of those deaths were in the world’s poorest countries. 90 PER CENT.
On October 12, the World Economic Forum estimated climate change is costing the world $16 million per hour. PER HOUR.
Climate change remains our biggest global crisis, yet our leaders are failing to recognize the urgency of the problem. Nowhere is that more obvious than here in Alberta.
…that’s another 26 years of magical thinking and government handouts for a technology that has had more than enough time to prove itself, but hasn’t.
As the governments of Alberta and Canada met on Sept. 12 in Ottawa, Premier Danielle Smith continued to issue statements opposing the 2035 net-zero power grid timeline. They are pushing for a 2050 deadline, which is simply a delay tactic to support fossil fuel companies who are lobbying to squeeze every last penny of profit out of the ground, no matter what the consequences.
“The Alberta delegation also expressed its position that introduction by the federal government of the final federal electricity regulations, an oil and gas emissions cap or a methane cap during the course of the working group's negotiations would be unacceptable to Alberta and risk the viability of the working group’s continued discussions.” (Danielle Smith)
Alberta is not transitioning away from fossil fuels
Despite a declaration of a climate emergency, the City of Calgary rolled out the red carpet for the World Petroleum Congress from Sept. 17-21. The only good news is that according to my sources, attendance at this year’s Congress was down compared to previous years.
Smith was all over the conference and repeated her statement that Alberta is “not transitioning away from oil and natural gas.” She was part of a panel in the final days of the conference where all agreed that “transition by 2050 is unlikely,” blaming the developing world’s “energy poverty.”
According to Smith, “our job in the wealthier nations is to get to net-zero - aspirationally by 2050 - so that technology can be exported.”
This is what they call “planning for the future,” a “sustainability plan”
for their corporate profits.
Even getting to net-zero by 2050 is just an “aspirational” goal, not a real goal, by Smith’s admission. The real goal appears to be to develop and sell carbon capture and storage technology to many other countries by 2050…that’s another 26 years of magical thinking and government handouts for a technology that has had more than enough time to prove itself, but hasn’t.
As reported by The Energy Mix, the technology “may have an important role to play in hard-to-decarbonize sectors like iron and steel, but won’t pay off for oil and gas companies without continuing government subsidies,” according to the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) in an analysis released last month.“
“After more than 50 years of commercial development, the cost of CCS has been slow to decline, in contrast to solar and wind technologies ‘which have generally required government subsidies only in the initial development phases.’” (the IISD)
The Winnipeg-based think tank says that’s because CCS projects are complicated to design and need to be customized for each new installation—in contrast to renewable energy components that are mass produced.
Fossil fuel companies likely see this as a technology that will allow them to continue to ask for government funding for another quarter of a century at least. This is what they call “planning for the future,” a “sustainability plan” for their corporate profits.
Pathways Alliance CEO has some feelings about battery makers
Cenovus chair Alex Pourbaix is upset that battery makers are getting funding from Ottawa. He was seriously quoted in the Financial Post whining about it.
“We are asking for a fraction of what the government has already given, as I understand it, to the battery manufacturers.If the goal here is to remove carbon from the economy at the lowest average cost, then I would suggest the government should take a very, very hard look at continuing to support our industry.” (Alex Pourbaix, a Cenovus executive)
You may recall that just this year, Ottawa announced a tax credit for carbon capture valued at around $2.6 billion. Two years ago, there was $319 million pledged for research and development to improve the commercial viability of carbon management.
This, despite the fact that more than 400 academics have warned “supporting the oil and gas sector’s carbon capture plans with public money would lock in fossil fuel use for decades to come, thereby undermining the country’s international commitments to slash greenhouse gas emissions.”
Someone get poor Pourbaix a fainting couch to lie down on - only $2.6 billion in tax credits.
Meanwhile in Edmonton this past month, Carbon Capture Canada held its annual conference. Independent journalist Jeremy Appel attended and reported back on the event so we wouldn’t have to (thank goodness).
“The major thrust of the conference’s first day was that the very actors who caused the climate crisis are going to solve it by doing the very things that created the crisis; they just need more money so they can continue profiting while the world burns.” (Jeremy Appel)
Unconstitutional is the new equalization is the new National Energy Plan
To no one’s surprise, the last month has predictably seen another round of strongly-worded statements, and chastising comments from the Alberta government on just about anything the federal government is trying to do related to the climate crisis.
When the prime minister announced at the United Nations General Assembly that Canada is planning to go further on its methane emission reduction targets, the Alberta Minister of Environment and Protected Areas, Rebecca Schulz issued a statement claiming the plan to do so was “unconstitutional” which is pretty much the buzzword for everything the UCP government doesn’t like these days.
“The fact that a project involves activities primarily regulated by the provincial legislatures does not create an enclave of exclusivity.”
This was despite the fact that Schulz claims Alberta is a leader in methane emissions reduction and is ahead of schedule on its own commitments. If we’re doing so well, why the concern? And why does this statement read like a toddler having a temper tantrum?
Alberta also launched an $8M national advertising campaign to “inform Canadians about the negative effects of the federal government’s proposed electricity regulations.” There are apparently large billboards on trucks circling around downtown Ottawa with the words, “No one wants to freeze in the dark.”
This is an interesting choice - referencing the Ralph Klein quote “Let the Eastern bastards freeze in the dark” - while trying to convince Eastern Canada to join a Western cause.
The #Tellthefeds hashtag was predictably hijacked by critics of the UCP on Twitter/X turning it into a complaint forum about the Alberta Government instead. There are also a few entertaining memes featuring Smith with Take Back Alberta leader, David Parker floating around under this hashtag.
They never learn, do they?
Massive win or massive opportunity for disinformation campaign?
The big news for Alberta this past week was the Supreme Court of Canada’s decision on whether Bill C-69, which Jason Kenney christened fictitiously as the “No more pipelines bill,” was unconstitutional. The five judge majority ruled most of the legislation was unconstitutional and Smith was quick to declare a “massive win” for provincial rights.
Smith wasted no time in delivering a stern warning: “I hope that Ottawa will learn from this mistake.”
In a news conference this past Friday, she told reporters the ruling will bolster her government’s efforts to push back against other federal proposals, including to get the electricity grid to net-zero emissions by 2035.
“Alberta will simply not accept being handcuffed by Ottawa’s unfair overreach with another blatant attempt to erode and emasculate the rights of constitutional authority of the provinces as equal and sovereign orders of government.” (Danielle Smith).
Did anyone else think “emasculate” sounded like a word that might be used by Jordan Peterson? Is he writing Smith’s talking points now?
But Chief Justice Richard Wagner would likely disagree. He wrote in the majority opinion: “The fact that a project involves activities primarily regulated by the provincial legislatures does not create an enclave of exclusivity.”
The ruling does not do what Smith is claiming…not at all. That has never stopped her from spreading disinformation before, though. It probably won’t stop her this time either.
The ruling does not give provinces increased authority over environmental approvals. It only provides an opinion (albeit a weighty one) on some sections of the legislation, where the federal government may have overstepped their authority.
The bill remains in effect and Canadians generally support the federal government’s involvement in environmental approvals. They see Ottawa has an effective foil for the provincial regulators, bringing balance to the process. Policy advisors in Ottawa will likely be working quickly to rewrite the legislation, seeking the Supreme Court’s blessing for the revisions. This will likely strengthen the federal role, not weaken it.
Nevertheless, the UCP government will continue to make claims of sovereignty and use the decision to bolster Smith’s constant complaints of “constitutional overreach” in the coming days and weeks.
Suncor CEO, Rich “Freddie” Kruger’s infamy continues to gather steam
This Halloween, I might have to dress up as Suncor CEO Rich Kruger. The man has become Canada’s climate villain extraordinaire. After his statements about doubling down on fossil fuels, and shifting focus away from emissions reduction technology, he has been asked to testify in front of both the Natural Resources and Environment Parliamentary Committees on Monday, Oct. 16.
Environmental Defence, an environmental advocacy organization, is planning a photo op prior to Kruger’s testimony. They’ve prepared a pretty damning biography of Kruger, including some facts about Suncor’s poor record on environment, health and safety, which will be distributed at the media availability. Wow, this guy is the worst.
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I’ll leave you with a short video about a brilliant artist in the UK named Darren Cullen. I included an image earlier in this post from his “Hell Bus” which is touring the UK now to shed light on greenwashing by Shell. Check out his website at www.spellingmistakescostlives.com.