Climate disasters could have united us. Instead, we get paranoia, finger-pointing and lies

There was a moment, as I entered adulthood in the early 2000s, when the zeitgeist among people concerned over the climate crisis went something like this: the world may not yet support drastic action on climate change because we don’t understand the danger we’re facing — but when disasters start rolling in, we’ll unite under a common cause and fix this thing. 

Well, the disasters keep rolling in. Since the start of the century, the 10 deadliest climate-related disasters alone have killed more than half a million people worldwide. Climate change has cost us $2.8 trillion over that same period. As Natasha Bulowski reported this week, climate disaster survivors are trying to raise the alarm and show us — physically show us — what happens when extreme weather comes for our homes and communities. But, at least among the most powerful, the overwhelming response thus far has been the opposite of unity and action. Instead, we get blame, division, paranoia and lies. 

Take for instance the bickering between Alberta and Ottawa. Danielle Smith, the premier of Alberta — a place that lost one of its most iconic parks to fire over the summer, and where half the province is still grappling with drought — is facing a leadership review this weekend. So, Smith went back to the metaphorical well (which isn't running dry) and picked yet another fight with Ottawa over the carbon tax. 

It’s a tried-and-tested technique for firing up the base. Recent hits include fights over immigration, in which she blamed newcomers for increases to living costs; the upcoming emissions cap, which she has falsely labelled a cap on oil production; and federal housing, dental, pharmacare and daycare programs, each of which she has attacked for some combination of overreach and under-consultation. 

In the case of the carbon tax fight and ensuing leadership review, the base Smith is pandering to is made up of the rural Albertans whose fields are dry and homes vulnerable to fire; the Canadians most in need of immediate climate action. Instead, they get tossed some red meat and a promise that any problem they face stems from the dastardly mind of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

In Ontario, Doug Ford is pandering to suburban commuters by pledging to rip out bike lanes, throwing out a modest yet effective climate solution in the hopes of riling up the drivers of Etobicoke and Brampton enough that they’ll reward him with his third majority government. That vote may be coming sooner than we thought, given the speed with which he’s blundering ahead; Toronto outlets reported last week the government has already set its eyes on which streets will be dug up first in the city in the name of “saving you time.” Forget that bike lanes have been shown to benefit drivers as well as cyclists — not to mention boosting business traffic and sales — it’s never been about data. It’s about anger, and anger sells.

It’s not like we’re getting much more from progressive leaders. A central promise of B.C. Premier David Eby’s successful reelection bid last month was to scrap the provincial carbon tax — the country’s first — if the federal government removes its backstop. That’s code for “when Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre becomes PM,” if you’ve not been following the Liberals’ nosedive that closely. The fact that Eby is already caving to an imaginary federal government is chilling. 

The climate-skeptic games extend outside the public realm and into industry spaces, too. John Woodside reported this week that the head of the Canadian Gas Association (CGA) called the energy transition “cult-like” in a rage-baiting eight-minute speech to a far-right think tank audience. The association and its members, it appears, would rather people direct their skepticism toward the few ways out of the climate disaster (including, critically, by transitioning off their products), than have them think too hard about how, for instance, exporting LNG has recently been found to be even worse for the climate than burning coal in the United States. It’s a smart strategy, especially when you consider that CGA member FortisBC is working hard behind the scenes to reverse Vancouver’s gas ban for new builds —  there’s no reason FortisBC shouldn’t lose out on any of its customer base when the energy transition is just a cult, right?  

South of the border, this kind of rhetorical whataboutism, finger-pointing, misdirection, pandering and rage could be about to get so much worse. Another Trump victory, following a campaign fuelled in part by climate conspiracy theories, would effectively kill American involvement in the green transition. Worse, a second administration led by a famously climate-denying Trump would double down on oil and gas, throw out environmental regulations, and kneecap the growth of the green energy industry.

I’m reflecting on all of this, not because it’s therapeutic (although maybe it is a little bit), but because based on what we’re seeing today, it doesn’t look like humanity is going to organically coalesce around solutions anytime soon. If that’s the case, we must find a way to demand those solutions from our leaders, no matter how deeply flawed and cynical the leadership class may be. We’ll have to fight disinformation with all the tools we have at our disposal, from inoculation to counter-messaging. First, let’s hold liars accountable. 

If you’re reading this, you understand the position we’re in. That’s a start.