I keep hearing Big Oil executives and their friends in Ottawa talk about a transition off of fossil fuels taking decades and decades. Sure, it’s true we’re not going to shut off the oil taps tomorrow, but this kind of delayed transition is dangerous. In fact, you could call it a new form of climate denial.
When Big Oil first learned about climate change, they invented climate denial to try and slow down political action. Now that climate change is widely accepted, they’re arguing that we need a slow transition for the same reason, to protect their profits.
Big Oil executives aren’t interested in protecting workers and communities, they’re interested in protecting their pocketbooks. That’s why we need big, bold “Just Transition” policies that listen to climate science, guarantee good union jobs and put people first.
This fall, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has a chance to do just that, but to do it right, he needs to tune out the self-interested fossil fuel executives and lobbyists and listen to the people instead. We need a Just Transition that works for everyone, not one that helps wealthy fossil fuel executives get even richer.
David Mallett
Sooke
editor@sookenewsmirror.com
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