Monbiot: The Urgent Threat to World Peace is … Canada

[GliderGuider]

The Urgent Threat to World Peace is … Canada

Until now I believed that the nation which has done most to sabotage a new climate change agreement was the United States. I was wrong. The real villain is Canada. Unless we can stop it, the harm done by Canada in December 2009 will outweigh a century of good works.

In June this year the media obtained Canadian briefing documents which showed that the government was scheming to divide the Europeans(6). During the meeting in Bangkok in October, almost the entire developing world bloc walked out when the Canadian delegate was speaking, as they were so revolted by his bullying(7). Last week the Commonwealth heads of government battled for hours (and eventually won) against Canada’s obstructions. A concerted campaign has now begun to expel Canada from the Commonwealth(8).

In Copenhagen next week, this country will do everything in its power to wreck the talks. The rest of the world must do everything in its power to stop it. But such is the fragile nature of climate agreements that one rich nation – especially a member of the G8, the Commonwealth and the Kyoto group of industrialised countries – could scupper the treaty. Canada now threatens the well-being of the world.

Why? There’s a simple answer. Canada is developing the world’s second largest reserve of oil. Did I say oil? It’s actually a filthy mixture of bitumen, sand, heavy metals and toxic organic chemicals. The tar sands, most of which occur in Alberta, are being extracted by the biggest opencast mining operation on earth. An area the size of England, of pristine forests and marshes, will be dug up, unless the Canadians can stop this madness. Already it looks like a scene from the end of the world: the strip-miners are creating a churned black hell on an unimaginable scale.

Much more at the link. (On edit: the link is updated)

It's now Canadians' turn to experience the shame felt by progressive Americans during the Bush years.

[MNDemNY]

1. And remember this: Obama, at NO TIME ruled out an invasion of Canada.

He did not.

[Chulanowa]

2. He's just like Bush!

OMG!

[GliderGuider]

3. Yikes!

If I meet a fellow on Parliament Hill who has his head sticking out of the turret of an M1A1 Abrams and is asking me for directions to Alberta, I'm going to be as polite as only a Canadian can be...

[medeak]

4. link not valid ...dang n/t

[GliderGuider]

5. I just clicked it and it worked fine

???

[sharp_stick]

7. Your link is a shortcut

not the entire URL I think, I can't get it to load either.

[GliderGuider]

8. Try this one

http://www.monbiot.com/archives/2009/12/01/the-urgent-threat-to-world-peace-is-%E2%80%A6-canada/

[sharp_stick]

9. Got it, that one works, thanks, n/t

[sharp_stick]

6. Canada has been blocking climate change

proposals for at least a decade and maybe longer. I don't think it's all about the tarsands though, that's a handy little talking point but the actual production of greenhouse gasses from the populated areas of the country are among the highest on Earth and are the real reason. The tarsands in full on production mode would barely bubble the numbers produced by the country.

Also the area covered by the tarsands is not "pristine forests and marshes" that area is muskeg hell and there is very little growth of any kind over the top of the tarsands. The real danger of the tarsands IMO is the waste production and having it flow into the waterways virtually untreated. There are very few natural watersheds up there and it will be very easy to destroy the entire ecosystem. The Alberta Government has been anti-environment for decades and are electable over and over again by a population that really believes in the as long as I can't see it there's no problem here.

[GliderGuider]

10. I agree with your analysis.

We're a Western industrialized country with large distances to drive and a climate that requires lots of natural gas heating. It's not surprising that our GHG output is so high.

[bhikkhu]

11. I haven't been there, but:

The before picture looks pretty nice. The after one, not so much.

[bhikkhu]

12. ...and here's another:

[joshcryer]

13. DEAR GOD. That is so messed up.

[Delphinus]

14. What a tragedy!

An area the size of England, of pristine forests and marshes, will be dug up, unless the Canadians can stop this madness. Already it looks like a scene from the end of the world: the strip-miners are creating a churned black hell on an unimaginable scale.

Not to mention the poisoning of wildlife and people ...

When will this madness stop?