Humanity is sitting on a ticking time bomb. If the vast majority of the world's scientists are right, we have just ten years to avert a major catastrophe that could send our entire planet into a tail-spin of epic destruction involving extreme weather, floods, droughts, epidemics and killer heat waves beyond anything we have ever experienced.from Inconvenient Truth website.
Like many others, we feel a sense of urgency about global warming while our political leaders show a subdued response. Our hope is that through this website, we can link up with groups with similar concerns and share our experiences.
Why should we call for action?
- Individually many people are doing their part but we can do much more if we join forces.
- We can afford to speak out as many of us are retired and do not live in fear of losing our jobs.
- Governments have dropped the ball. Policy development and implementation are taking much too long.
- We have no time to waste. Global warming is real, has severe consequences and requires vigorous action now.
Fall 2007At a series of congregational meetings we focused on what was being accomplished in other municipalities around the world. The positive nature of this activity engaged people’s interest and resulted in a proposal to join with other groups to motivate our regional municipal governments particularly the Capital Region District (CRD).
January 20, 2008
Joined the Sierra Club Cool Capital Coalition. From their website: “In coalition with dozens of advocacy groups, businesses, and faith-based organizations, the Sierra Club Victoria Group is leading a campaign urging the CRD to adopt and implement the new CRD Community Energy Plan which aims to cut energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions over the next five years.The CEP proposes a five-year strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 15.6% below 1995 levels and energy consumption by 2.84 million gigajoules. Energy cost savings of $55 million per year to residents and businesses should also result.
Action is targeted in six areas: improving energy efficiency in buildings, increasing transportation efficiency, encouraging energy efficient land use planning, diversifying energy supplies, educating residents and businesses, and showing local government leadership.”
January 23, 2008
Attended a meeting of the Environment Committee of the Capital Region District (CRD) where Dean Murdock, Chair of the Cool Capital Coalition, presented to the Committee. The Committee agreed to recommend the adoption of the Community Energy Plan now called the Climate Action Plan to the CRD Board with proposed greenhouse gas reductions of 33% below 2007 by 2020 as suggested by the provincial government.January 30, 2008
Attended a meeting of the Oak Bay Climate Change Task Force to observe this committee’s discussion of their Draft Final Report, Recommendations to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Oak Bay.February 13, 2008
The CRD Board adopted the provincial target of 33% greenhouse gas emission reduction by 2020, the Climate Action Plan (CAP), and the Bylaw to create a new monitoring service. The new service requires support from two-thirds of the member municipalities. The CAP and targets will go into effect immediately.March 15, 2008
Along with other members of the Capital Unitarian Universalist Congregation, we attended a "green" event which was sponsored by three people planning to run in the municipal election in November 2008 in Saanich. Will Horter of the Dogwood Initiative was the speaker, and he emphasized the importance of local political action in dealing with environmental issues. We have also heard of the Saanich Civic League which is an organization based on the Guelph Civic League model working on making local politics more effective.After this event our small group decided to create questions for candidates running in the municipal, provincial and federal elections expected over the next year. If you have questions you would like us to include or you know of other small groups who would like to partner with us for this endeavour, please contact us at sgwvictoria@gmail.com
Stay tuned!If necessary, we will be attending the meetings of the local municipalities that are members of the CRD to encourage them to sign on to the Climate Action Plan. A number of local municipalities have already created action plans or are working on them.
Saanich information can be found at http://www.gov.saanich.bc.ca/climate/climatechange.html.
Oak Bay’s: http://www.oakbaybc.org/Notices/CCTF%20Final%20Report%20(2)%20DRAFT.pdf.
We will also provide information about our process to other groups in the hope that they too will campaign for change.