Pope John Paul II has written: “In the past, it was possible to destroy a village, a town, a region, even a country. Now it is the whole planet that has come under threat. This fact should compel everyone to face a basic moral consideration: from now on it is only through a conscious choice and then deliberate policy that humanity will survive.”
Of course we need improved health care, affordable housing, excellent public transportation, healthy forests and a better life for all.
However, the fact is that British Columbia, with a reputation as the most environmentally friendly province in Canada, is in fact one of the nation’s biggest supporters of the fossil fuel industry.
Each year, the province provides hundreds of millions of dollars in subsidies for fossil fuels. B.C.’s fossil fuel subsidies reached $830 million in 2017–2018. New subsidies continue to be created, including significant support for the liquefied natural gas (LNG) industry.
Subsidies undermine the CleanBC plan introduced by the government in 2018 and prevent the province from meeting its targets for greenhouse gas emission reductions.
It’s clear that the oil and gas industry is a major cause of climate change. If we want a future that’s safe from climate disasters, we can no longer invest in fossil fuels. The alternative: invest more funds in affordable housing, health care, public transportation, education, healthy forests and a sustainable future.
What will be your choice?
Sandra Hartline
Nelson
