What’s wrong with this picture:
Calgary has been recognized as a green machine after receiving a World Leadership Award yesterday for its sustainable development policies. Calgary Mayor David Bronconnier and the city were nominated for the award in the environmental category f0r the city’s cutting edge green policies promoting public transportation and environmental design.
That’s Calgary, folks, the Houston of Canada. Politicians in places you’d least expect – Chicago immediately comes to mind – are finding rewards in branding themselves as leaders in sustainability. Vancouver – literally green – lags behind.
Provincially, few expect Alberta to sincerely embrace sustainability. But in B.C., our Premier doesn’t even seem inclined to try. How can coal-fired power plants be planned without taking carbon emissions into account, how can offshore oil-and-gas be promoted, the Gateway highway expansions be pushed through without climate change even being acknowledged?
Rumour has it that we may get a change in rhetoric with the announcement of a new energy policy early in January. Perhaps even appropriate policies. We’ll see. In the meantime, we should at least try to catch up to…. (this is so hard to say) … Calgary.
Vancouver’s choice of Brent Toderian as the Director of Planning will help, I hope.
Hi, if you are interested in a good book about Climate Change check out this book:
“The Weather Makers, The history and future impact of climate change” by Tim Flannery
Good read !!