BC's CLimate iNaCTion wiLL BURN us aLL..

Half-baked plans won’t cut it in a #ClimateEmergency! Pls. join me in using #SierraClubBC's letter-writing tool to tell #bcndp that BC desperately needs effective actions to combat #ClimateChange B4 deadly effects worsen.. Click link:

Tell your MLA we need a full climate plan for B.C.! - Sierra Club BC

My (edited) letter using the tool:

Dear [Premier Horgan, Mr. Heyman],

I am writing to you today to express my dismay at the BC Government’s woeful lack of action to combat Climate change, "the Challenge of our times" according to experts, leading financial institutions & the scientific community at large.

Therefore I strongly support Sierra Club BC's Ecojustice-backed legal action against the BC Govt for failing to devise & implement legislation to achieve the targets set out in its own Climate change plan.  And I'm calling on your help to ensure Premier Horgan moves quickly to protect us from worsening Climate risks.  

With the increased frequency of deadly Climate events like floods, landslides & wildfires, anything less than a plan without blind spots & loopholes is unacceptable.  Govt's 2021 report on the Climate Change Accountability Act falls short by failing to include a plan for 2025, 2040 & 2050 targets -- & by omitting plans to cut GHG pollution from the O&G sector.  

The latter is a real worry, due to BC Govt's ongoing support for fracked gas/ LNG projects.  Also missing is the C02 footprint of BC Forestry, which continues to deplete our critically key -- globally rare -- C02 sinks/ wildlife habitats at an unsustainable rate. 

Without addressing these top risks, we have no reason to trust our Govt is serious about taking action to combat dangerous -- increasing -- Climate.catastrophes.

BC brags about being a "Climate leader", yet continues to emit more [cumulative] C02/GHG pollution as Climate effects batter our province.

How many more deadly “atmospheric rivers"/ "heat domes" will it take for the Govt to realize that claims about "bold Climate action" without implementation is an abrogation of its basic duty to keep all BCers safe in an emergency? Claims that "BC's Climate plan is the best in North America" -- if even true -- mean NOTHING without actual emissions reductions.  ESP. if our emissions counts exclude the very industries that continue to make BC a significant material contributor to Climate change!!?

IPCC scientists have warned Canada -- & specifically BC -- are failing by continuing to invest in GROWING Climate-wrecking, ecocidal industries like LNG & Tar Sands pipelines (fossil fuels) & logging.. as well as rewarding them with tax breaks that belong to renewable, sustainable new operations.  Such clear neglect of public duty (Govt malfeasance) -- aided by an equally ethics-light MSM -- keeps Cdns misinformed in endless loops of Govt 'announcements'/ 'decisions'/ 'goals' etc. --> momentary public appeasement/ distraction/ doubt --> exposure of Govt corruption/ inaction/ ineptitude--> helpless hand-wringing at yet another after-the-fact done deal turned deadly resulting from Govt's undying (inexplicable & inexcusable) loyalty to corporate/ industrial status-quo profiteering at BCers' expense, eg. Deadly fires/ mining disasters/ Salmon & Species-At-Risk die-off/ Watershed contamination --> Deafening Govt silence over their utter dearth of trust-buildibg action/ fines --> Public despair --> Back to more Govt plans/ platitudes (& still no actual progress bringing us a Just Transition!!?)

The Green party -- STILL -- provide the only voice of reason, responsibility & sound solutions -- studiously ignored by the vastly inferior duds in office.. (whether Liberal, NDP or -- god help us -- Cons)

Canada's outsize contributions to Climate change NEED to be exposed & curtailed -- INCLUDING exported GHGs via shipped Coal, LNG & pipelined TarSands oil.. as well as raw logs from our criminally CLEARCUT FORESTS -- sold to foreign corps for unsustainable uses, which further lock in global rising GHGs..

Anything less than proactive legislation that restores healthy ecosystems & forests, & works at meeting Paris-Agreement targets in every sector, is bound to fail:  Science says so, & Science doesn't lie..

The stakes couldn't be higher for ensuring a livable & prosperous future for all BCers! 

I expect you, my elected representative, & the B.C. Govt to take this emergency to heart & UPGRADE -- IE. implement effective Science-led Climate actions NOW

Thank you very much, 

Sarah (Saz) Chesterman

CC: Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy, George Heyman and Premier John Horgan.

Spotted owl, endangered & unprotected native of BC

& here's my comment on this relevant article at Falcon calls B.C. NDP economic plan ‘propaganda document’ – Nelson Star

Saz Sarah Chesterman

The fact that BC recently emerged -- not unscathed-- from 2 consecutive climate-brought calamities (last summer's extreme heat-dome that directly claimed 60 deaths + 1,000s of hectares of wildfires accelerated by rampant dried-out clearcuts; AND Nov's catastrophic floods/ landslides that crippled our key agriculture industry) would be #1 URGENT priority in a budget drawn by Greens, the only BC party with the brains, guts, heart & science-backed souL needed to tackle this overriding 'Challenge of our Time' that's hit BC -- smack on schedule, as shown by every scientific study of the last 30+ yrs (which inform the Greens' initiatives..)

ALAS-! My fellow BCers have glibly -- infuriatingly -- decided 'en masse' that we don't DESERVE Greens' carefully-considered, in-depth expertise.. & so by default, THIS 'LACK OF' [EVERYTHING WE NEED TO SUCCEED] is what we get -- in a majority, no less. AGAIN. Only now, it's heating up 4ReaL.. & we need to GET THINGS RIGHT to make any inroads at all reversing these unlivable extremes-!?

BCers' profound ignorance of all but what they read/see on #MSM isn't helping, as unfortch Premier Horgan's BC-NDP is failing hard at every turn -- this budget included++ -- but confidently claims/ looks otherwise: HOW do the majority of BCers NOT SEE THRU this Govt's double-speak, promising all kinds of high-sounding Climate ACTIONS but delivering only more inaction & ineptitude?

EG. Agreeing with scientists in words is 1 thing -- saying THIS should alert most peops we've psychopaths in Govt:
"Science shows fossil fuels burning/ use is a major driver of climate change.. but we're going forward on/ funding massive NEW clean [= dirty: LNG isn'T clean OR renewable!!?] energy 'projects' like LNG/ TMX to RAISE REVENUE FOR THE 'JUST TRANSITION' WE'RE PLANNING FOR.." 

WHEN? 2030?? 2050??? That's too late - esp after locking ourselves & all Earthlings into polluting fossil fuels for another decade or 2!!??

THAT'S NOT A SOLUTION -- it's trying to quit smoking using cigarettes, & BCers' ever-compliant silence at these constant Govt INSULTS [implying our weak-&-easy acquiescence of same-old junk/ inaction] means MORE & WORSE CLIMATE CRISES are coming -- & even scarier, our Govts don't CARE they're leading us like lemmings off the cliff -- rather than improving our prospects for success!!?

At this late hour, only the latter will do - the rest simply deserves NO CONFIDENCE in this Govt's ability to lead us into an ACTUAL 'JUST TRANSITION' (starting with protecting all our intact OldGrowth forests from being clearcut, as our last & only C02-sinking saviours -- our 'Lungs of the North' which BC govts from day 1 have permitted the wholesale destruction thereof)

It's clear this govt has no interest in protecting our best interests or the natural features that make BC 'Beautiful':  we're losing the crucial fight of our lives -- & only the Greens have what it takes to lead us into actual, measurable, real-life success.

BUDGET 2021 - Submission to BC's Legislative Committee

I managed to post my feedback on BC Govt's plans for Budget 2021 by the deadline today, thanks to Ancient Forest Alliance's helpful tool emphasizing the urgency of prioritizing protection of BC's old-growth forests -- at this link, if you're interested:  https://www.ancientforestalliance.org/action-alert-speak-up-for-ancient-forests-submit-your-feedback-on-budget-2021-before-june-26th/  I've copied & pasted my submission (with added highlights) here:

To the Select Standing Committee on Finance & Govt. Services,

To create a truly sustainable and resilient economy, we must protect the natural ecosystems on which we all depend for our health and survival. Many of BC’s important ecosystems are endangered, threatened by the very real hazards of climate change, overdevelopment and widespread toxic spraying which leaves them vulnerable to beetle infestations and wildfires.  These precious ecosystems support large concentrations of endangered species, wild salmon habitat, drinking watersheds, climate balance, important First Nations cultural sites and outstanding recreational/ tourism opportunities.  Protecting BC's sustaining natural assets --of which old-growth forests unquestionably classify as the most valuable-- is a crucial part of the [NDP-promised] Species At Risk Act, which needs to be legislated ASAP to meet our climate-change goals and our requirements as environmental stewards.

BC’s coastal and temperate old-growth forests are vital for sustaining unique/ endangered species, a multi-billion dollar tourism industry, many First Nations cultures, a stable climate and clean water for communities/ wild salmon.  And we are fast losing these key life-support systems to rampantly destructive clear-cut logging whose short-term, private gains do not come close to offsetting the deadly debilitating costs of destruction by deforestation.

Recent independent research shows that only a tiny fraction (less than 3%) of BC’s highly productive old-growth forests --i.e. those capable of growing big trees-- remain standing today.  Studies have also shown that keeping old-growth forests standing provides a greater overall economic benefit than cutting them down - not only for the critical habitats they provide for BC's threatened biodiversity, but for their prodigious C02-storing services that no other element on Earth provides.  We need these forests intact to help keep our GHG levels from rising and to give this province a chance at fighting the worst effects of climate change.  Importantly, it must be noted that ALL of the C02 stored in old-growth forests is released into the atmosphere when logged.  And once they are logged, these important non-renewable natural assets are lost forever.  Allowing our precious old-growth forests to be logged at their current rate is therefore tantamount to criminal dereliction of our duty as stewards of our own sustaining wilderness ecosystems.

I therefore recommend the BC government prioritize the conservation of endangered old-growth forests in its 2021 provincial budget by:

1) Establishing a dedicated $40 million per year BC Natural Lands Acquisition Fund to purchase private lands of high conservation, scenic, cultural, and recreational value from willing sellers to add to BC’s parks and protected areas system. This $40 million annual fund should increase by $10 million/year until the fund reaches $100 million/year.

2) Contributing funding toward the sustainable development and economic diversification of Vancouver Island First Nations communities in lieu of old-growth logging, similar to the $120 million (including $30 million in provincial funds) provided to First Nations in the Great Bear Rainforest in support of ecosystem-based management in that region.

3) Allocating dedicated funding toward the creation, planning, implementation and management of a provincial Natural Lands Acquisition Fund to systematically purchase and protect endangered ecosystems on BC’s private lands for the benefit of communities and species alike -  along with Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas (IPCAs) in BC.  IPCAs are increasingly being recognized as effective mechanisms for conserving lands and waters while also supporting the languages, cultures, health, wellbeing, jobs and economies of Indigenous communities - and therefore must be supported and funded in Budget 2021.

 

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Sarah M. Chesterman

WhaT COVID-19 waRns us aLL..

(& HOW best to respond)

It should be noted that most flu pandemics (SARS, COVID-19 etc.) have arisen from humans' invasive expLoiTaTion of important wildlife species & their habitats where we HAVE NO BUSINESS encroaching -- for food, medicine or any other QUACK purpose invented by misguided/ misinformed/ mistaken humans.

Bats, like all non-human individuals, bring irreplaceable & unique benefits to their native ecosystems. They need PROTECTION from invasive humans before they too are driven to #extinction!  EVERY LEGIT SCIENTIST in the world will say the same thing:  that eating meat is bad 4 our health (& bad for the #environment) - IF not THE leading cause of illness in humans!!?

Everyone needs to do their part & Go Vegan -- I did, years ago, & it was the easiest transition I ever made!  But I digress --it's not just about DIET it's about living consciously, AWARE that even your innocuous-looking piece of meat has its origins in suffering & violence --& eating meat SUPPORTS such harmful, UNenlightened relationships with what I call our 'creature cousins'! (Best to respect Big Mama #Nature).

In fact we aLL have a responsibility to steward Earth's biosphere & aLL lifeforms therein, not only for our own heaLth but for future generations' survivaL!?  WhaT's not to get, this info is fundamental to existence?  If we don't protect our precious #biodiversity (eg. by #SpeciesAtRisk laws/ divesting from FossilFuels..) we put future generations @ risk of extinction!!?  Arguing & ignoring basic science (as our corrupt Govts do) only exposes our 'leaders' as liars..

Except NOW, the stakes are so high (with Climate Change set in) that govt. corruption/ ignorance/ inaction is causing irreversible TOTAL breakdown of Nature's delicate balance (already teetering on the edge, due to humans' destructive/ exploitative/ greedy/ insensitive RAPE of Nature's bounty..)

If only the Europeans who came to Canada had respected, listened to & foLLowed #1stNations' stewardship of nature, built up over millenia to ensure thriving forests/waters/wilds for ongoing longevity & health well into the future..