The media would have us believe the story of the Alberta floods is about the indomitability of the human spirit in the face of unprecedented adversity. That may be correct, but the truth is as much about our ability to create disaster as to overcome it.
Undoubtedly the catastrophic events of recent weeks were the result of unusual if not unique circumstances, but the fact is the floods were also a result of human actions, or should we say, lack thereof.
All eyes will be focused now on how government will help those who have lost everything because of forces beyond their control. Rebuilding will cost billions and, says Alberta Premier Alison Redford, take as long as a decade.
But in reality we are all implicated, especially here in Canada, where many dismiss climate change as a tree-hugging plot that would slow economic growth, compromise the vanishing middle-class dream and hamper Stephen Harper’s re-election hopes.
Any number of scientific studies tells us that the sort of flooding seen in Alberta is not only inevitable, but that such extreme events can be expected to happen more frequently and more violently. Indeed, the environmental crisis is more than an inconvenient truth; it is the overwhelming issue of our times.
Whether it’s New Jersey Governor Chris Christie or Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi, those heroes of the disaster who would have us believe we’re stronger than the storm are doing us no favours. Yes, we need to rally round the flag, but we also need to drop the fantasies by which we live and enter the realm of reality.
You’d think that Canadians, who hear stories weekly about the vanishing Arctic, the disappearing boreal forest, the melting tundra, falling water levels, record summer heat and warmest-ever winters, would be at least a little skeptical about getting back to business as usual.
Instead, we buy into the idea that climate change is something with which we can’t afford to deal. Why, if developers were required to build responsibly, it might threaten our prosperity. If we had to pay the full cost of energy, we’d have to cut back, live more modestly, and we wouldn’t like that very much, would we?
If we were to introduce even an iota of common sense into our planning regimes, the Province of Alberta would have to stop selling property located in a flood plain. But then, more stringent rules might adversely affect property values, and then where would homeowners be?
On the other hand, one might ask, where are they now? In many cases, quite literally, up the creek.
Still, given Barack Obama’s sudden interest in the file, the Canadian government finds itself in its usual position of having to play catch-up with Big Brother. But even if the two countries were to reach their disappointingly weak targets — a 17 percent cut in 2005 greenhouse gas emission levels by 2020 — it wouldn’t make enough of a difference to matter. Even these goals, which are little more than a moral sop, are too much for us to meet.
And so, little remains but to recount heart-warming tales about neighbours helping neighbours, valiant emergency responders and dogs being rescued. Perhaps they will help us feel better about things, but they certainly won’t change them.
Mother Nature, observers like to say, is unpredictable and do what we may, she will have her way. Having been raped by humans for centuries, maybe it’s no surprise Mother Nature — as we so coyly put it — can no longer be trusted.
Original Article
Source: thestar.com
Author: Christopher Hume
Undoubtedly the catastrophic events of recent weeks were the result of unusual if not unique circumstances, but the fact is the floods were also a result of human actions, or should we say, lack thereof.
All eyes will be focused now on how government will help those who have lost everything because of forces beyond their control. Rebuilding will cost billions and, says Alberta Premier Alison Redford, take as long as a decade.
But in reality we are all implicated, especially here in Canada, where many dismiss climate change as a tree-hugging plot that would slow economic growth, compromise the vanishing middle-class dream and hamper Stephen Harper’s re-election hopes.
Any number of scientific studies tells us that the sort of flooding seen in Alberta is not only inevitable, but that such extreme events can be expected to happen more frequently and more violently. Indeed, the environmental crisis is more than an inconvenient truth; it is the overwhelming issue of our times.
Whether it’s New Jersey Governor Chris Christie or Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi, those heroes of the disaster who would have us believe we’re stronger than the storm are doing us no favours. Yes, we need to rally round the flag, but we also need to drop the fantasies by which we live and enter the realm of reality.
You’d think that Canadians, who hear stories weekly about the vanishing Arctic, the disappearing boreal forest, the melting tundra, falling water levels, record summer heat and warmest-ever winters, would be at least a little skeptical about getting back to business as usual.
Instead, we buy into the idea that climate change is something with which we can’t afford to deal. Why, if developers were required to build responsibly, it might threaten our prosperity. If we had to pay the full cost of energy, we’d have to cut back, live more modestly, and we wouldn’t like that very much, would we?
If we were to introduce even an iota of common sense into our planning regimes, the Province of Alberta would have to stop selling property located in a flood plain. But then, more stringent rules might adversely affect property values, and then where would homeowners be?
On the other hand, one might ask, where are they now? In many cases, quite literally, up the creek.
Still, given Barack Obama’s sudden interest in the file, the Canadian government finds itself in its usual position of having to play catch-up with Big Brother. But even if the two countries were to reach their disappointingly weak targets — a 17 percent cut in 2005 greenhouse gas emission levels by 2020 — it wouldn’t make enough of a difference to matter. Even these goals, which are little more than a moral sop, are too much for us to meet.
And so, little remains but to recount heart-warming tales about neighbours helping neighbours, valiant emergency responders and dogs being rescued. Perhaps they will help us feel better about things, but they certainly won’t change them.
Mother Nature, observers like to say, is unpredictable and do what we may, she will have her way. Having been raped by humans for centuries, maybe it’s no surprise Mother Nature — as we so coyly put it — can no longer be trusted.
Original Article
Source: thestar.com
Author: Christopher Hume
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