Question 5: Will British Columbians take to the streets in 2010 to push for action on global warming?

The abysmal failure of the climate talks in Copenhagen was a transition point for many people. It has become clear to many that there is no wizard behind the curtain and that if we are going to make the big changes necessary they will have to take matters into their own hands.

Copenhagen proved that real life is not like the movies. In the movies when scientists predict Earth will be hit with a large meteorite or other calamity, governments’ mobilize immediately and recruit someone like Bruce Willis or Clint Eastwood for an urgent mission. In the real world, despite equally dire scientific warnings about the future of life on earth, our politicians are doing virtually nothing. They talk a lot, but don’t walk the walk.

More and more people have figured out that only viable option is dramatic action now, that business as usual isn’t working, they/we need to shake things up. Given the failure of current leadership, more and more people believe the only path forward is a people’s movement targeting big emitters and their political supporters.

The tar sands are the poster child of bad global warming policy. In BC, existing tar sands infrastructure is a likely target. This means the oil tankers shipping from Kinder Morgan’s pipeline to Burnaby are in the bull’s-eye, as is Enbridge’s Northern Gateway pipeline/super tanker proposal. Climate-unfriendly projects like the 10 existing and 13 proposed new coal mines, coalbed methane and the new shale gas projects in the northeast will also likely come under intense pressure from concerned people looking to stop big polluters. I predict these efforts will begin in 2010 and grow in the coming years.

Previous Questions for 2010

  1. Will there be a federal election in 2010?

  2. Which BC party will get a new leader after the Olympics?

  3. Will the huge expansion of coal mining in BC come under scrutiny in 2010?

  4. Will leaders in Capital Region be able to stop reckless development on the Wild Coast and the Saanich Peninsula?

Tomorrow’s Question:

6. Will a new super tanker port be built in Kitimat to ship tar sands oil to China?