Advertisement 1

Opinion: How Canada can help stop the melting of the polar ice cap

Domestic efforts aside, we can have more impact on climate change by helping China solve its carbon problems.

Article content

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said there is little Canada can do alone to solve climate change. But we can punch above our weight if we focus on solving the problem at a global level. All we need is a common objective all Canadians can get behind. I can think of no more unifying goal then to stop the melting of the polar ice cap.

Scientists have said our polar ice cap has anywhere between 100 and 5,000 years before it completely melts. Not only would this have a dramatic increase over the world’s average temperature, but the loss of all land ice would raise sea levels as much as 70 metres (230 feet) — effectively wiping out seaboards around the world.

Advertisement 2
Story continues below
Article content

While fossil fuel consumption is seen as the main culprit, it can play an important transitional role if it is used as a substitute for dirty products like coal. The fact is, some fossil fuels are better than others.

Article content

Natural gas can reduce coal emissions by 50 to 60 per cent. And refined oil, while not as efficient in reducing CO2 emissions, does produce significantly less ash. When it is refined, oil removes nasty stuff like sulfur and heavy metals that are released into the air as ash and dust. So even oil can be a good coal substitute.

The biggest global emitter of CO2 emissions is China. Since 2000 China’s emissions have quadrupled. China now produces double the amount of carbon than the U.S. If Canada were to shut down its economy for one year, it would take China only 21 days to replace our emission savings.

Coal dust is constantly wafting over from northern China and, according to the Earth Institute of Columbia University, is responsible for roughly half of the melting of the Arctic because it reduces reflectivity and speeds melting. NASA satellite images document the shocking impact coal dust is having on our Arctic and even causing dust storms in Greenland.

Advertisement 3
Story continues below
Article content

The Paris Agreement on climate focuses all countries on domestic efforts to reduce their carbon footprint. There was much sound and fury during our federal election campaign around the carbon tax, making polluters pay and investing in more clean tech. But the fact is, even if these policies help meet our 2030 Paris objectives, Canada will have no discernible impact on global climate change.

That said, Article 6 of the accord gives credit to countries that are more ambitious in their objectives and that make more meaningful contributions to solving the problems of others.

Currently Article 6 has vague language about goals that support sustainable development. Common sense suggests a transition solution is to export every bit of natural gas and oil we can to China in order to reduce coal emissions. This should be considered an important step in sustainable development.

This also brings clarity to the pipeline debate. Because in order to get natural gas and oil to China, we will need pipelines. We will also need to allow tanker traffic off the west coast along specific transportation corridors.

Advertisement 4
Story continues below
Article content

In addition to fighting climate change domestically through more use of hydro, nuclear and alternative technologies and reforestation, it is time to build a national consensus around the idea that we can have more impact on climate change by helping China solve its carbon problems. That is an objective everyone in Canada can get behind regardless of provincial or First Nations interests.

Focusing on how we can fix our Arctic by getting rid of Chinese coal dust and pollutants using our natural resources and innovative technologies is our best chance of success in creating a climate change policy everyone in Canada can get behind.

Michael Coates is executive chairman of Rubicon Strategy Inc.,  a digital and data government relations firm based in Toronto and Ottawa. His argument was presented at the Council for Clean and Reliable Energy annual roundtable in Penticton, B.C., in October.

Recommended from Editorial
  1. U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to reporters as he departs for travel to Lexington, Kentucky from the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, U.S., November 4, 2019.
    Trump administration notifies U.N. of planned Paris climate accord exit
  2. Protesters fill the bottom of Robert-Bourassa Blvd. at the end of the climate march in Montreal on Sept. 27, 2019. Quebec's Environment Ministry has launched an online public consultation that could help shape government policy.
    Allison Hanes: Have your say on Quebec's climate policy
  3. All municipalities should be required to offer compost collection to all their residents, Fariha Naqvi-Mohamed writes.
    Naqvi-Mohamed: How my family is trying to fight climate change
Article content
Comments
You must be logged in to join the discussion or read more comments.
Join the Conversation

Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information.

This Week in Flyers