The Council of Canadians Prince Edward Island chapter hosted a talk this evening by author-activist Gordon Laxer on his book After the Sands: Energy and Ecological Security for Canadians.
In this book Laxer argues for the need to plan beyond the tar sands, which he refers to as the Sands. He writes, a “first step is to cap and then phase out the Sands over fifteen years [meaning by 2030], starting with the oldest projects.” And he highlights, “Canada can meet its target of reducing carbon emissions by 80 per cent if it phases out Sands oil and relies instead on our slowly falling output of conventional oil and natural gas as transition carbon fuels to get Canadians to a low-carbon future run on renewables.” The Leap Manifesto calls for a 100 per cent clean energy economy by 2050.
In an op-ed published in today’s The Guardian, Laxer highlights, “The proposed Energy East oil pipeline and the giant Muskrat Falls hydro dam in Labrador are the [Atlantic] regions’ biggest mega-projects. They are betting that the carbon era will persist for decades. They could become white elephants. If history is a guide, governments and taxpayers will be stuck with the tab. Sooner or later Ottawa will realize Canada can’t cut emission by 80 per cent below 1990 levels by 2050, as it and the other G8 countries pledged to do, if it doesn’t cap and then phase out bitumen production from Alberta’s Sands [and recognize that dams produce much more greenhouse gases than previously thought].”
He concludes, “Long-term, energy security is best gained by phasing out carbon fuel use and relying on electricity produced by renewables.”
Laxer’s talk was timely as TIME magazine reported today, “The average level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere across the globe passed 400 parts per million (ppm) last year, a symbolic and worrying milestone in growth of man-made climate change, the World Meteorological Organization confirmed Monday. Many scientists pegged 450 ppm as a red line, while others have said 350 ppm—which the Earth passed years ago—is the safe upper limit. (The Bill McKibben-led climate advocacy group 350.org takes its name from that number.)”
Tonight’s public forum was part of a 5-community tour that will also include:
Fredericton – October 25
Saint John – October 26
Halifax – October 27
Mahone Bay – October 28
The Guelph, Centre Wellington, Thunder Bay, Hamilton, and Toronto chapters organized After the Sands book tour stops this past spring.
You can follow Gordon on Twitter at @AfterTheSands.
