It will cost too much if we do nothing
Re: “What does a ‘common-sense’ approach to climate change look like?” commentary, Sept. 28.
The commentary argues that the costs will be too great and the benefits too little.
But what is missing is that there are also significant costs in doing next to nothing. We are already experiencing those costs.
The news media are reporting about the death and destruction caused by Hurricane Helene and by the massive flooding in central Europe, weather systems made worse by human-caused climate change.
Oceans are becoming more acidic, threatening fishing interests here in Canada and around the globe. Sea levels are rising, threatening to dislocate millions of people.
The past couple of years have seen wildfires burn in Canada the likes of which we’ve not seen before, and the smoke is causing health problems for people clear across Canada. And on and on.
All of these things are part of the costs of the climate change we already have created.
And, these kinds of problems are going to get worse if we (the entire world) don’t fix the problem. And, make no mistake, getting to Net Zero is not a fix, it just locks in the bad weather and other problems that we continue to make worse. We need to get to a Net Negative, to reverse the levels of greenhouse gasses to get our climate back to more normal conditions.
Canadians need to do our part to reverse the course of climate change, and we also need to work tirelessly with other nations so that they do their part. Doing nothing is extremely costly.
Robert Kreiss
Shirley
More details needed on climate-change costs
Re: “What does a ‘common-sense’ approach to climate change look like?” commentary, Sept. 28.
After reading the commentary, I still don’t know. I wonder what the assumptions were leading to the global cost of reaching net zero of $10-$15 trillion per year.
It would help if the costs of doing nothing or making things worse by continuing to increase fossil fuel use were stated.
Things like coping with increasingly extreme weather like hurricanes and flooding events, massive extinctions, human displacements, wars and strife.
It would also help if the positive sides of new industries, innovation and personal savings were also stated. My impression of the commentary is that it will help further obscure the issue.
Sid Jorna
Otter Point
Too little information on the climate plans
Re: “What does a ‘common-sense’ approach to climate change look like?” commentary, Sept. 28.
The headline didn’t deliver. I thought we would finally hear some actual policy on climate change from the Conservatives.
John Rustad and Pierre Poilievre throw “common sense” around all the time but are really short of details.
All we got from the writer was the usual: China building two coal-fired plants a week, we are small potatoes, nothing we do will help yadda yadda. What’s the plan?
Oh, by the way, Hurricane Helene did $26 billion worth of damage last weekend, according to Bloomberg News. My house insurance went up $700 this year, what will next year bring?
Paul Best
James Bay
What about ocean acidification?
Re: “What does a ‘common-sense’ approach to climate change look like?” commentary, Sept. 28.
The commentary, focused as it is on the problem of emissions-related climate change, completely misses another reason for reducing the use of fossil fuels: Climate change’s “evil twin” of ocean acidification.
Since 1950, the average pH of the ocean has fallen (become more acidic) by 25%. Such acidification has a whole bunch of implications for the health of basic marine ecosystems — coral reefs, molluscs and plankton — upon which many marine fisheries (and, indeed, the broader “health” of the oceans themselves) depend.
Putting off action on CO2 emissions to some unknown, unspecified time in the future because it costs too much now is simply kiting cheques — which may well be unpayable then — to our children and grandchildren.
Angus Forsyth
Saanich
Colwood council saw a need, and reacted
As much as we decry with great regularity the impact of fractured governance in this region on taxpayers and residents, there is an occasional upside. The decision by Colwood council to move ahead to establish a full-service primary care clinic is one of these.
The council identified a critical community need (identified as such by 70% of residents), outside their jurisdiction, and acted. With their decision, it’s the second municipality in the region (Sidney provided a loan to assist with establishing Shoreline Medical several years ago) to take direct action in what is by most measures an emergency situation.
As the board of directors of Sidney’s Shoreline Medical are discovering, the easy part is behind them. Mayor Doug Kobayashi and the partners in this venture face bigger challenges to grow and operate the clinic than they overcame to establish it.
Ironically, the role of municipalities in contracting doctors and nurses to deliver health-care services in rural Canada began in the 19th century. Medicare was supposed to end all of that. It apparently has not.
Kudos again to the Colwood council and the leadership of Kobayashi. The region could use more of the same on other issues.
John Treleaven
Chair, Grumpy Taxpayer$ of Greater Victoria
They came to the aid of a 93-year-old
Heartfelt thanks to the four young men who assisted me after I fell last Thursday at Carey and Baker, and special thanks to Devin who then drove me home.
My family and I greatly appreciate your quick response to make sure that I was OK. No bones broken and I’m healing nicely.
Although I didn’t get a good look at the four of you, I’m sure you were all young compared to me, at 93 years of age.
Delia Visscher
Victoria
Cut the foolish drivel, tell us the real costs
Note to Victoria mayor and council: when a council member brings a motion calling for a full costing of this or that, just hold your nose and quickly vote yes.
The taxpayers of Victoria are not at all interested in your petty complaints about process, or converse questions about benefits that can be dealt with at a later date.
Reality check: this anti-car — and anti-parking — mayor and council approved an event for 14,000 attendees at a location that can usually handle only 4,000 attendees.
Yeah, before Victoria commits to something like that again, let us all back a full analysis of the costs involved, without any foolish drivel from any of our elected representatives.
Trevor Amon
Victoria
Strata residents want their rights back
Which political party is going to give strata owners back their property rights?
I see the B.C. Conservative party is promising to remove the legislation outlawing short-term rentals. What about the people who also own property collectively who would like to be able to define their living environment?
I’m a senior woman who bought in a building with an age restriction of 19-plus and looked forward to enjoying my retirement years with adults as neighbours.
Now what I have to look forward to is a building that will eventually fill up with noisy screaming children and quite possibly become a rental building.
The only option left to me now is a 55-plus strata building, of which there aren’t many in Victoria, or an adult mobile home park where I have to lease a space and have absolutely no security.
It appears neither political party gives a damn about the seniors who have been supporting the foundations of this country throughout their lives and have imposed upon them an unwanted living situation. Stratas are not apartment buildings. They are not rental properties. They are collectively owned private property.
Private property just like a single-family dwelling. I’m guessing any politician would change their tune if they were told they couldn’t define what goes on within the walls of their own property.
We want our rights back!
Tracy Jennings
Esquimalt
Deal with nurse practitioners instead
Signs saying “I need a doctor” need to be amended to say “I need a doctor or a nurse practitioner.” Those nurse practitioners can refer if patients need specialized care. Most of my 76 years of visits to a doctor could have been dealt with by a nurse practitioner. Maybe nurse practitioners could get together with doctors who are willing to work in a cooperative manner to provide more accessible access for patients.
Eric Jones
Victoria
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