Climate change is a big factor in the ongoing damage caused by this November’s BC floods, but so is planning. So who’s responsible for the damage, and the upgrades to come?
CHATBOX is your chance to eavesdrop on Gordon Price and Sandy James Planner as they joust over our region’s features and foibles. Go to Patreon to read on and join the debate.
GORDON: Sandy, I just saw Global News interviewing SFU earth scientist John Clague on the floods: “This is a shock to a lot of scientists — that climate change is now.” Then, the immediate response from anchor Sophie Lui: “Is it ever!” That shift from future to present tense is a very big deal. It reframes how media covers climate change.
SANDY: You got that right Gordon. We’ve been waiting forever just for the fact that climate change even exists to be accepted — and now climate change is happening and we need to adapt for it. But in the meantime, what help is available to flood victims, and who is going to coordinate and pay for it? The problem has always been, who is in the room. For example, farmers, and the province.
GORDON: And once the money starts flowing, that room is going to get very crowded. Then of course, there’s that other room over there, with “pandemic” on the door.
SANDY: Sure, there’s got to be money for relief. But one of the issues is always going to be: how much of the damage is because of climate change, and how much is simply bad planning? Like what happened in Sumas Prairie, the area that has just been flooded around Chilliwack. That area was historically underwater, and the water was just being held back by huge dykes.
GORDON: Bad planning?! I’d argue just the opposite…
THE DEBATE CONTINUES ON PATREON. CLICK HERE TO READ AND COMMENT
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