Fire and Floods: The Climate Tug-of-War
It's a blazing battlefield out there—not just in the literal sense with over 800 wildfires raging across northwestern Ontario. No, I'm talking about the ideological wildfire roaring through society. The Friends of Science Society are up in arms against what they dub “Elbows Up for Climate” activists. They say these folks are jumping on every flood and wildfire as a chance to wave the climate change banner and it's fraying the last threads of sanity in this debate.
A Manifesto Met with Skepticism
The so-called climate champions are pushing for big changes—wind, solar, electric vehicles, and a nationwide high-speed rail system. They're even calling for a windfall tax on oil and gas. Yet the Friends of Science Society think all these proposals are nothing more than pipe dreams. They've got their sights on what they call the “climate madness manifesto,” deeming it detached from reality.
They argue this so-called energy transition's a menehune amidst the global energy supply crisis. The numbers tell a near-impossible story: Despite $14 trillion poured into climate strategies, fossil fuels still fuel over four-fifths of the world's energy needs. There’s an increase—mind you—a 2.5% rise in fossil fuel use just over the past couple of years.
Critics Sounding the Alarm
Devilish Decarbonization Costs
Here’s where the rhetoric really heats up. Friends of Science scoffs at the burdensome price tags tied to decarbonization. They're critical of the $20 to $30 billion costs for the Pathways/Oil Sands Alliance pipeline’s carbon capture and storage. According to them, it's largely banking on investment tax credits and subsidies to keep afloat. They call it a 'shell game' offering no real climate benefits.
“We’re spending trillions on climate policies, and here we are: fossil fuel use is climbing!”
Historical Firestorms
Now let’s turn to the wildfire debate, where it's not just a matter of record-breaking numbers and smoke palls. Critics like John Vaillant are pointing fingers at oil and gas for fires, shouting about their dangers from rooftops. But the Friends of Science remind us of the 1950 Chinchaga firestorm's blue smoke—long before climate change rhetoric picked up steam. How about that?
Flooded with Frustration
Debunking Flood Narratives
And what of the floods? Edmonton’s knee-deep in torrential downpours, and some like Mayor Andrew Knack tie this to climate change. The Friends of Science fume at such claims, countering that these mayors missed critical consulting steps. They're pointing to faulty infrastructure before loose climate talk as the real culprits. That’s backed up by their Toronto flooding videos which dissect similar instances.
No More Fuel in the Fire
It seems everyone’s itching for a fight, even with scientific avenues declaring scenarios like the notorious RCP 8.5/SSP5-85 untenable. Friends of Science goes a step further—they say the climate emergency has flatlined. They’ve even gone as far as letting the Superintendent of Financial Institutions know there’s no wit left in chasing net-zero dreams.
These constant floods of opinions and the wildfire arguments are dizzyingly complex. What’s sure as sunrise, is this climate clash isn't dousing its flames anytime soon. As investors, we ought to be vigilant, discerning the facts from fiery rhetoric.
