Suzuki: Leaders be warned, seniors will vote for climate act

[Oscar]

Suzuki: Leaders be warned, seniors will vote for climate action

[ https://www.nationalobserver.com/2024/1 ... action-day ]

By David Suzuki - October 4, 2024 - LINK to LISTEN TO ARTICLE . . .

QUOTE: "David Suzuki says he "never expected to be marching with other elderly people, demanding our government take immediate action on the global crisis we now call climate change."

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EXCERPT: "In 1989, when I aired my first The Nature of Things program on “global warming” as we called it back then, I wrote into the script that the problem was a “slow-motion catastrophe.” We had decades to save ourselves — and I thought we would. I never expected to be around to see the catastrophe happen. Or, 35 years later, to be marching with other elderly people, demanding our government take immediate action on the global crisis we now call climate change.

But earlier this week, on National Seniors Day, [ https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-soc ... s-day.html ] I was out marching with thousands of seniors in 76 communities across Canada. Often together with youth, Seniors for Climate repurposed National Seniors Day to make it what we really care about: action on climate and a better future for our kids and grandkids.

What started as a dream of a few exploded over the summer into a 3,000-plus mailing list and more communities signing on every week. And, when the day came, the media took note — in hundreds of radio, TV and print interviews, seniors got their say to demand action on climate.

Nature is showing us very clearly what rising temperatures mean to our planetary home. In B.C. where I live, they mean mountain pine beetle infestations, melting glaciers, firestorms and heat domes. We’ve all seen changes we never expected to see in our lifetime. As a biologist, I never expected to see warm-water squid or giant sunfish in the waters off Haida Gwaii. But I’ve seen them. 

 As the host of The Nature of Things, I had the privilege of reporting on the natural world through a scientific lens for almost 50 years. So, I’m sad to see how little faith we now have in science. Scientists predicted disaster if we didn’t stop burning fossil fuels — and those predictions are coming true. And they’ve shown us how the science of renewables could provide a better future for our kids and grandkids if we switch now.

But our politicians won’t commit to the switch. They won’t even commit to a cap on emissions now. They won’t commit to stopping the subsidies to the fossil fuel industry.  

Why? Because politicians don’t see a path to re-election if they go up against Big Oil. Even though the industry has lied to us about the risks of burning fossil fuels for over five decades, it still has huge power. And let’s face it – we all still rely on its product. For now.  . . . . "

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