CBC News/Clare Hennig: Environmentalists hope for action in wake of 'shocking and utterly unsurprising' climate-change report

CBC News

British Columbia
Environmentalists hope for action in wake of 'shocking and utterly unsurprising' climate-change report
Social Sharing

    Facebook
    Twitter

Floods, severe wildfires, rising sea levels listed as potential consequences of Canada warming
Clare Hennig · CBC News · Posted: Apr 02, 2019 2:30 PM PT | Last Updated: April 2
The new report found that Canada is experiencing warming at twice the rate of the rest of the world. (NOAA/NASA/Reuters)

A new report about climate change in Canada, leaked to the public on Monday, has alarming implications across the country — and British Columbia won't escape unscathed. 

The report, commissioned by the Environment and Climate Change Department, found that Canada is experiencing warming at twice the rate of the rest of the world.

With this comes concerns about increased risk of floods, more severe wildfires and rising sea levels.

"[The findings] are both shocking and utterly unsurprising," said renowned environmentalist Bill McKibben, who has authored numerous books about climate change.

    Canada warming at twice the global rate, leaked report finds

"Canada being in the north has one of the best — or worst, depending on how you look at it — front row seats to global warming of any place in the world."

He pointed to the devastating wildfires in Fort McMurray, Alta., in 2016 as "what climate change looks like."

B.C. has experienced two record-breaking wildfire seasons in a row, as well as destructive flooding last year. Preparations are already underway in parts of the province to deal with fires and floods this year.

    Climate change in B.C.: Here's how 2050 could look

2018 was the worst year on record for wildfires in B.C. Environmentalist Bill McKibben says wildfires are one face of 'what climate change looks like.' (Darryl Dyck/Canadian Press)
Scale of change

The report says that since 1948, Canada's annual average temperature over land has warmed 1.7 C, with higher rates seen in the North, the Prairies and northern British Columbia.

"The world is now changing on an unbelievable scale," McKibben said.

"We have to get out of our comfort zone a little bit because the planet is miles outside its comfort zone."

    Shell urges Canada's oil lobby group to support carbon tax

For McKibben, there is one clear step in the right direction: a federal carbon tax and moving toward greener energy.

"You're not allowed to just go throw your trash in the street for obvious reasons — unless you're an oil company, and then you can use the atmosphere as an open sewer," he said.

"One hopes we'll see a saner policy emerge."
Bill McKibben, a world renowned environmentalist and educator, responds to the new climate change report commissioned by Environment and Climate Change Canada. 8:10
Reducing the prosperity of Canadians?

Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard Jonathan Wilkinson says the report — released a day after the federal government imposed carbon taxes on Manitoba, Ontario, New Brunswick and Saskatchewan — is reverberating across the country.

"What this does is it reinforces that climate change is real, climate change is having impacts today," he said.

"It underlines the need for urgent climate action in Canada and in countries around the world."

    Opinion
    Report on devastating Canadian climate change a far bigger issue than Jody Wilson-Raybould: Neil Macdonald

Part of that action involves reducing domestic carbon emissions, phasing out coal, improving building standards, turning to electric vehicles and putting a price on pollution, he said, adding that combating climate change isn't as easy as simply introducing more taxes.

"If you don't reduce demand  … all that happens is the oil is replaced by oil from Saudi Arabia or Iran or Venezuela," Wilkinson said.

"At the end of the day, you would accomplish nothing except to essentially reduce the prosperity of Canadians."
Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, responds to the new climate change report by the Environment and Climate Change Department. 8:10

For Joe Shea, an assistant professor of environmental geomatics at the University of Northern British Columbia, the findings of the report go far beyond political rhetoric about carbon taxes and greenhouse gas emissions.

"Whether or not the timing [of the report] has anything to do with a carbon tax, I don't know," he said.

"But the attention that this report has gotten is not a bad thing."

    Ford government vows to use 'every tool' to fight federal carbon tax

He said he hopes the findings will drive home the reality of climate change to Canadians.

"We're used to thinking on human timescales," he said.

"People won't really believe [the warnings about consequences] until they're on their back doorstep."
Floods, fires, rising sea levels - those are some of the ways climate change is hitting northern B.C. And a massive new report shows Canada is warming at twice the rate global averages, and northern B.C. warming even faster than that. Joe Shea of UNBC breaks down some of the information. 8:24

With files from The Early Edition and Daybreak North
CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices|About CBC News
Report Typo or Error|Send Feedback
Related Stories

    Top stories from British Columbia
    Police arrest man after suspected Langara College arson leads to evacuation
    Cost of living rises in B.C. as new fiscal year begins
    Wildfire burning in upper Squamish Valley grows to 15 hectares
    Seniors face eviction from East Vancouver apartment over $41 rent increase

Comments

To encourage thoughtful and respectful conversations, first and last names will appear with each submission to CBC/Radio-Canada's online communities (except in children and youth-oriented communities). Pseudonyms will no longer be permitted.

By submitting a comment, you accept that CBC has the right to reproduce and publish that comment in whole or in part, in any manner CBC chooses. Please note that CBC does not endorse the opinions expressed in comments. Comments on this story are moderated according to our Submission Guidelines. Comments are welcome while open. We reserve the right to close comments at any time.

41 Comments

Commenting is now closed for this story.
Footer Links
Connect with CBC

    Facebook
    Twitter
    YouTube
    Instagram
    Mobile
    RSS
    Podcasts
    Newsletters

Contact CBC

Audience Relations, CBC
P.O. Box 500 Station A
Toronto, ON
Canada, M5W 1E6

Toll-free (Canada only):
1-866-306-4636

TTY/Teletype writer:
1-866-220-6045

    FAQ
    Help Centre
    Contact Us

Services & Info

    Corporate Info
    Ombudsman
    Public Appearances
    Commercial Services
    Reuse & Permission
    Terms of Use
    Privacy
    CBC Shop
    Jobs
    Doing Business with Us
    Renting Facilities
    Independent Producers
    Sitemap

Accessibility

It is a priority for CBC to create a website that is accessible to all Canadians including people with visual, hearing, motor and cognitive challenges.

Closed Captioning and Described Video is available for many CBC-TV shows offered on CBC Gem.

    More about CBC Accessibility
    Accessibility Feedback

    ©2019 CBC/Radio-Canada. All rights reserved.
    Visitez Radio-Canada.ca