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LETTER: Subsidy to fossil fuels is an investment in more heat waves

From reader Diana Van Eyk
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We’ve heard the Speech from the Throne in B.C., and are told that the focus will continue to be on the pandemic, with more emphasis on climate change and housing.

We’ll soon see how this translates into the provincial budget. What exactly does it mean for the provincial government to act with great urgency on climate change? How do they plan to reduce emissions, and what will the results of the review of B.C.’s oil and gas subsidies be?

For every dollar invested in oil and gas, every tax break and subsidy going to the oil and gas industry, the province will be investing in more heat waves, wildfires and floods. And that’s not acceptable.

It’s time for urgent action now. We’ve been told by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) that we’re in a Code Red situation. What we’ve seen in B.C. this past year is what that looks like on the ground.

Our provincial government must stop all handouts to the oil and gas industry and start investing in a green future now. And that future must help all of us to make the transition to greener buildings, better public transit, and housing for all. We need help adapting to the climatic changes that we’re unable to stop.

All eyes will be on the budget. It needs to address the urgency of these times.

Diana van Eyk

Winlaw