I am extremely angry right now with my provincial premier. So angry, I’ve taken time out of my work day to write and send the following letter (and post this blog post) to him, CC’d to my MLA.
I am extremely angry to see today’s article where Premier Kenney proposes investing public dollars into Oil and Gas.
As an Albertan, I don’t want to see my provincial dollars supporting a private industry who could totally operate successfully on private capital markets if only our provincial leadership would listen to those markets about what is demanded before investment: It has become increasingly clear that first and foremost, capital markets are demanding control of climate emissions.
For example: Larry Fink of BlackRock investments:
The evidence on climate risk is compelling investors to reassess core assumptions about modern finance. Research from a wide range of organizations – including the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the BlackRock Investment Institute, and many others, including new studies from McKinsey on the socioeconomic implications of physical climate risk – is deepening our understanding of how climate risk will impact both our physical world and the global system that finances economic growth.
It’s time the Alberta Government stop being a laggard on Climate: Become a leader and the money will follow.
You want to support Alberta oil and gas? Don’t throw public money at it: Build policies and legislation that will demonstrate to the world and investments that put Alberta’s assertion that we can have climate action and resource development to the test.
Mr. Kenney: You believe in Alberta: then lead us to the future the rest of the world already sees coming. Quit lollygagging and throwing good dollars after bad.
— Mathew Gaudet
Of course, I was so freaking annoyed, that I both spelled my own name wrong, spliced a sentence and forgot a salutation.
You hear from so many right wing politicians that we can have resource development and action on Climate Change too. If they truly believe that, then they need to demonstrate that by backing up their words with legislation that will enforce success on climate change.
I don't believe a word my premier says on climate change, because their actions aren't nearly enough.
You want my support for the oil sands Mr. Premier?
- Legislate the 100MT emissions cap.
- Mandate that the emissions cap drop by an appreciable fraction every year. Let's say by 4MT per year: That brings the emissions cap to zero by 2045.
If you can't do that, then you don't believe in what you're saying, that we can succeed at climate and have resource extraction.