Politics and the environment

The National Post had two excellent and thought-provoking articles on the environment this weekend.

The first, “Debate over energy plans 'exaggerated'” by James Cowan, summarizes a study conducted by the Pembina Institute on behalf of TD Financial group. The report argues that carbon taxes and cap-and-trade systems are not as different as the recent election campaign suggested they were, and that by themselves, each is insufficient to tackle climate change. Progress on the environment is going to require a comprehensive approach - "silver buckshot" rather than a "silver bullet."

In the second, “We shouldn’t need a Green Party,” David Suzuki shares his dismay over the way the environment was turned into a partisan issue in the election, rather than a common concern. Suzuki reminds us that “We are the environment. We don't stand outside or on top if it; we are part of it and it is part of us.” It makes no sense to pit the environment against the economy, because without the environment, there will be no economy.