By David Suzuki
Traditionally, we乌鸦传媒檝e labelled events over which we have no influence or control 乌鸦传媒渁cts of God乌鸦传媒� or 乌鸦传媒渘atural disasters.乌鸦传媒� But what乌鸦传媒檚 乌鸦传媒渘atural乌鸦传媒� about climate-induced disasters today? Scientists call the interval since the Industrial Revolution the 乌鸦传媒淎nthropocene,乌鸦传媒� a period when our species has become the major factor altering the biological, physical and chemical properties of the planet on a geological scale. Empowered by fossil fuel乌鸦传媒揹riven technologies, a rapidly growing human population and an insatiable demand for constant growth in consumption and the global economy, our species is responsible for the calamitous consequences.
We now know that the weight of water behind large dams and injecting pressurized water into the earth for fracking induce earthquakes. Clearing large swathes of forests, draining wetlands, depleting water for industrial agriculture, polluting marine and freshwater ecosystems with nitrogen, plastics and pesticides from farmland and cities, expanding urban areas and employing ecologically destructive fishing practices such as drift nets and trawling all combine to produce species extinction on a scale not seen since the mega-extinction of dinosaurs 65 million years ago.
But we use language to deflect blame from ourselves. Not long ago, wolves, seals and basking sharks were called 乌鸦传媒減ests乌鸦传媒� or 乌鸦传媒渧ermin,乌鸦传媒� regarded as nuisances to be killed for bounties. Insects are the most numerous, diverse and important group of animals in ecosystems, yet all are affected by insecticides applied to eliminate the handful that attack commercial crops. One egregious class of pesticide is neonicotinoids, nerve toxins to which bees 乌鸦传媒� important pollinators 乌鸦传媒� are especially sensitive. Ancient forests are called 乌鸦传媒渨ild乌鸦传媒� or 乌鸦传媒渄ecadent乌鸦传媒� while plantations that replace them after clear cutting are termed 乌鸦传媒渘ormal.乌鸦传媒�
One of the rarest ecosystems on Earth is the temperate rainforest stretching between Alaska and northern California, pinched between the Pacific Ocean and coastal mountains. The huge trees there have been decimated in the U.S. Fewer than 10 per cent remain. Yet environmentalists who called for the entire remnant to be protected from logging were branded as 乌鸦传媒済reedy.乌鸦传媒�
Former B.C. Premier Glen Clark famously labelled environmentalists like me 乌鸦传媒渆nemies of B.C.乌鸦传媒� Former federal Finance Minister Joe Oliver called us 乌鸦传媒渇oreign-funded radicals乌鸦传媒� while others said we were 乌鸦传媒渆co-terrorists.乌鸦传媒� The real enemies, radicals and eco-terrorists are those who rush to destroy forests, watersheds or the atmosphere without regard to ecological consequences.
Recently defeated B.C. Premier Christy Clark called opponents of pipelines or LNG plants 乌鸦传媒渇orces of no.乌鸦传媒� We who want to protect what we all need to survive would more accurately be called 乌鸦传媒渇orces of know乌鸦传媒� who say 乌鸦传媒測es乌鸦传媒� to a future of clean, renewable energy and a rich environment.
We seem to have forgotten that the word economy, like ecology, is based on the Greek oikos, meaning 乌鸦传媒渄omain乌鸦传媒� or 乌鸦传媒渉ousehold.乌鸦传媒� Because of our ability to find ways to exploit our surroundings, humans are not confined to a specific habitat or ecosystem. We乌鸦传媒檝e found ways to live almost everywhere 乌鸦传媒� in deserts, the Arctic, jungles, wetlands and mountains. Ecologists seek the principles, rules and laws that enable species to flourish sustainably. Economists are charged with 乌鸦传媒渕anaging乌鸦传媒� our activity within the biosphere, our domain.
Former Prime Minister Stephen Harper decreed it was impossible to act to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to avoid climate change because it would destroy the economy. To people like him, the economy is more important than the air that provides weather and climate and enables us to live. At the same time, many 乌鸦传媒渇iscal conservatives乌鸦传媒� rail against an effective market solution to climate change 乌鸦传媒� carbon pricing 乌鸦传媒� ignoring the example of Sweden, which imposed a carbon tax of about $35 a tonne in 1991, grew its economy by 60 per cent by 2012 while reducing emissions by 25 per cent, then raised the tax to more than $160 in 2014.
We know climate change is caused primarily by human use of fossil fuels. It乌鸦传媒檚 influencing the frequency and intensity of such events as monstrous wildfires (Kelowna, Fort McMurray), floods (Calgary, Toronto), hurricanes (Katrina, Sandy), drought (California, Alberta), and loss of glaciers and ice sheets. There乌鸦传媒檚 no longer anything 乌鸦传媒渘atural乌鸦传媒� about them. We must acknowledge the human imprint. If we乌鸦传媒檙e the cause of the problems, then we must stop blaming 乌鸦传媒渘ature乌鸦传媒� or 乌鸦传媒淕od.乌鸦传媒� We have to take responsibility and tackle them with the urgency they require.
David Suzuki is a scientist, broadcaster, author and co-founder of the David Suzuki Foundation.
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