Unfettered Human Greed and Climate

The Vancouver Sun (May 18) included columns by two editorial writers of separate newspapers, Pete McMartin (Vancouver Sun) and Licia Corbella (Calgary Herald).

Each columnist's offering apparently was informed by views from a different lobby group.  McMartin by the work of the Seattle-based, "Sightline Institute", and Corbella by the United Kingdom-based, "Global Warming Policy Foundation".  Both columnists' respective description of the agencies are rather benign.

McMartin describes Sightline as a regional think-tank and Corbella describes the Policy Foundation as a non-partisan, not-for-profit organization.  However, a little research indicates that, in my opinion, both these operations are mostly involved in advocacy, including but not limited to lobbying both the public and public policy makers.  Let me hasten to add that I see nothing particularly wrong with organizing for advocacy.  Although in reviewing each organization, it would be useful if they were more forthcoming about the details of their funding.

As consumers of information, we need to consider the world views informing all the various viewpoints presented to us.  And we would make a fundamental mistake to presume that any single-source viewpoint is 'news' in the conventional sense.

The respective columnists argue compellingly for each of the viewpoints; but as a reader, I cannot help but want to remain a bit skeptical about the various assertions presented. Corbella seems to argue for a return, in Europe (and world wide), to a business-as-usual, non-renewable-energy-consuming economy, taking full advantage of the recent (and perhaps final) glut of non-renewable energy resources.  McMartin hints at what such conspicuous consumption might actually look like in this region, if only in terms of a clutch of very massive infrastructure projects.  He suggests heading this direction certainly will result in a short-term economic burst, but asks a serious question about what happens after the flame has burned bright.

In the end, I am more moved by the details set out by Mr. McMartin's offering.  Proximity may have a lot to do with my choice about to whom I ought to give most consideration, although the massive non-renewable energy infrastructure projects McMartin lists clearly are not simply to meet local needs.

In the end, Mr. McMartin points to two global climate indicators which ought to give each of us pause with regard to our climate future.  I would add one more ecological (if not, climate) example of the effects of unfettered human greed.  I think regularly about the massive collapse of the Atlantic Cod biomass -- driven mostly by the greed-driven human desire to plunder, to take the last fish.  And so they did.  Then what did they eat?