Canada's north on thin ice

OTTAWA -- The slow motion catastrophe of the melting Arctic just sped up. Researchers from Canada’s arctic flaw lead study have concluded that summer sea ice will be gone in a few short years. “Unfortunately, what happens in the Arctic, doesn’t stay in the Arctic,” says John Streicker, climate researcher and Green Party Advocate for Arctic and Northern Affairs. “The Arctic helps regulate the temperature of the entire planet." As summer sea ice melts, the climate system feeds back, accelerating warming and impacts globally.

Twenty years into the issue and four years into the Conservative government agenda, Canada still has no plan to address climate change. Just last week the federal government announced that it was weakening its greenhouse gas reduction targets. The result is that by 2020 we still will not have reached our Kyoto target that we set in 2002.

“Our environment minister would have us believe that we need to make a trade off between the climate and our economy," said Green Leader Elizabeth May. “But with the right investments we can create jobs, reduce climate change and stimulate our economy for the long term all at the same time. The path we are on now is not sustainable, and is the one that will harm our economy.”

And in the meantime the Arctic is melting. “Now is the time to strengthen our resolve as Canadians,” says Streicker. “This issue extends beyond boundaries, beyond party politics.”

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C: 613.240.8921
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