Scott Thompson: What will the transition from fossil fuels look like? Anyone?

A new UN report released this week paints a “catastrophic” picture if the world does not drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) each year to limit global warming.

Experts say worldwide GHG emissions need to drop 55 per cent by 2030.

Canada contributes 1.6 per cent to that total. Despite where we are, Canada is not on track to meet its Paris Agreement targets.

Most Canadians agree climate change is a serious issue we need to accept and deal with. The debate is how, not if.

Also, is the goal to meet individual regional targets that represent a small portion of the problem, or to help lower the emissions of the world’s biggest polluters — i.e., China — by getting them off coal?

0:46 Canadian infrastructure and the environment must function hand-in-hand: McKenna

• Canadian infrastructure and the environment must function hand-in-hand: McKenna
• UN warns countries are failing to cut carbon emissions
• Need to shape climate change policy in a way that addresses ‘legitimate economic concerns’ of Alberta, Saskatchewan: Wilkinson
• Climate change and health.
• Elizabeth May on Alberta: ‘fossil fuels have no economic future’

Previous Video

Next Video

Through all the hysteria, we hear many who scream that we have to get off of fossil fuels. But where is the politician or expert who is able to explain how we’re going to transition, especially in a relatively short period of time?

Experts say it will take 20 to 50 years.

Canadians want to know what else they can do to make this happen, and no one seems to be able to give us a straight answer to some difficult questions.

What will the average Canadian have to do or sacrifice in order to hit our targets?​

What will that look like? What does it mean for the average Canadian?

How will our life change?

How much will it cost?  Gas for our cars, heating for our homes, electricity to operate businesses?

How do Canadians make changes when the technology or options aren’t yet ready?

Are the solutions politicians are offering making a dent in worldwide greenhouse emissions, or simply generating money for other government promises?

Shouldn’t the first priority be getting the world (China) off coal with cleaner Canadian natural resources and using the profits for renewables?

Canadians need more than fearmongering. We get it, but we need a plan that doesn’t revert us to the dark ages.

Telling people to get out of their cars ain’t going to cut it.

Scott Thompson is the host of The Scott Thompson Show on Global News Radio 900 CHML.​​​​