Last year was the hottest year on record, worldwide. I couldn’t see Mount Currie for part of the summer because of the smoke from wildfires. Ivey creek near my house was dried out all summer and fall until the end of November. Gun Lake cabins and houses burned down.
Scientists have warned for decades that overheating the planet with fossil fuels would cause climate chaos—not just extreme heat, but also extreme cold, even as winters warm overall. It is making life less safe and more volatile for British Columbians. Doubling down on fracking for gas and LNG, like our B.C. government is promoting, is absurd.
But I have some hope. Thanks to huge advances in recent years, a transition away from fossil fuel is now possible. Cheap, clean, renewable energy is the key to a better future. Governments must invest in a green grid that is resilient to extremes, reliable and affordable for everyday people, and free of carbon pollution. This will create good jobs across the country and make sure no one gets left behind. Let’s demand nothing less.
