History will see climate inaction of Saskatchewan as bafflin

[Oscar]

Opinion: History will see climate inaction of Saskatchewan as baffling

[ https://thestarphoenix.com/opinion/colu ... s-baffling ]

Despite among the highest greenhouse gas emissions in the world, Saskatchewan's government refuses to come to grips with the climate crisis.

Saskatoon StarPhoenix - Published April 17, 2024 - Jim Handy, Saskatoon

EXCERPT: "Saskatchewan competes with Alberta in having the highest emissions per capita among provinces in Canada (three times the Canadian average). We have an immense hole in our budget caused by the need to rescue agriculture from a continuing drought.

Still, the government refuses to talk seriously about reducing our greenhouse gas emissions, actively discourages the pursuit of renewable energy, fights measures to reduce the burning of fossil fuels, and continues to subsidize the expansion of the oil and gas industry in the province.

I expect in future history classes, as students discuss the environmental catastrophe we have failed to address, students will ask about this moment and this government: ”Couldn’t they see what was happening? Why didn’t they just stop doing that? Why didn’t enough people simply say no more?”

I suspect we will have no good answers for those students."

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Jim Handy is a professor of history at the University of Saskatchewan and has taught there since 1986.