Some ‘positives’ in the climate crisis
All of this comes down to that 1980s oil filter commercial that concluded with ‘you can pay me now or pay me later.’ That same logic applies to mitigation of climate change to protect future generations. After all, the future belongs to younger Canadians who need to be considered as our nation is rebuilt.
Energy Minister Tim Hodgson, pictured June 18, 2025, on the Hill, recently spoke about clean energy at an event Winnipeg. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
OPINION | BY GEOFF STRONG, RICHARD VAN DER JAGT | October 1, 2025
In the midst of all the bad news on most fronts today, it’s sometimes beneficial to sit back and consider some positives in the climate crisis. Admittedly few, but there are some signs lately that are worth pursuing. First, the latest news:
We found a disconnect between how Carney promised to fight the climate crisis prior to the election, and the emphasis that the federal government is now putting on fossil fuels and the economy with their five major projects. None of these projects even mentions the environment or renewable energy. However, two of these involve mining for copper, an essential component of the proposed west-east electric grid, so we consider that as positive.
Also, a hint of good news federally, for in the midst of Carney’s announcements above, Energy Minister Tim Hodgson attended an event in Winnipeg where he spoke about clean energy. Well, that’s something.
The development of clean renewable energy needs to start at small (local or municipal) scales for two reasons: first, municipalities and small groups can get into the game with minimal costs; second, there is little purpose in direct confrontation with fossil fuels—they are too big, have plenty of money to fight, and can garner far more political support.
Staying out of the national limelight allows renewable developments to compete at that local scale, and to demonstrate that it is not only cleaner energy, but also cheaper, so that small businesses and industry can switch their energy sources when it comes time for major upgrades. Likewise, it allows the public to contribute through assisting small government or industry to build a facility quickly, thus carrying the banner to convince other locals. Continued support for EVs and helping to add charging stations would reduce impacts of vehicles on the environment and our health. It is now known that air pollution from fossil fuel exhausts and wildfires is a risk factor in the onset of dementia, a growing health burden.
Thankfully, renewable methodology is now gaining ground all over the world, and some of the biggest leaders on this are rather unexpected. For example: green energy has passed the positive tipping point with implementation costs coming down dramatically. Global solar installations surged 64 per cent in the first six months of 2025. China is constructing the world’s largest solar farm to meet their emission targets, and that country’s carbon emissions fell in early 2025, suggesting that China may have peaked ahead of its 2030 target.
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READ MORE ON THIS ISSUE:
Ottawa’s LNG detour risks Carney’s climate credibility
Hodgson, Dabrusin top-lobbied cabinet ministers last month as energy, environment lead the lobby charts
Environmental groups, LNG advocates conflict over natural gas demand as Major Projects Office launches
Strengthening climate policy to build long-term prosperity
Surely, our government cannot ignore these advances, or we risk falling behind the rest of the world. Indeed, many countries are knuckling down on reducing their reliance on fossil fuels. But there is more: in Scandinavia, ordinary citizens are beginning to place well-being and happiness ahead of economic indicators such as GDP and wealth, according to a June article by professor Trevor Hancock in the Times Colonist. For many, this translates into cleaner air, and less fossil fuels. Perhaps it is too late to reverse global warming, but not too late to learn to adapt to changing climate conditions.
While Canada is among the top three countries for GHG emissions per capita, making our nation a pariah as a source of global GHG emissions, even here there are regions where wind and solar energy are taking hold.
Another factor favouring acceptance of what needs to be done is coming from outside climate science warnings. For example: Medical and health facilities are being very vocal in their concern over the lack of adequate actions to help mitigate climate change. The International Court of Justice has warned countries that continue to support the oil and gas industries risk having to face huge compensation payments to developing countries.
One of the problems achieving widespread public acceptance to reducing carbon emissions and adopting renewable energy is that current events are ‘now’, while the increasing number of extreme climate events—including droughts, wildfires, floods, and hurricanes—have not raised awareness of the threats of climate change. Such disasters are now seen as ‘normal’, the analogy being the ‘boiling frog effect’. People need to be given clear impressions of the ‘before’ and ‘after’ of these disasters.
Further delays will lead to more adverse health effects and adverse economic impacts on Canadians due to climate-induced disasters. Tens of thousands of Canadians attended “Draw the Line” events nationally on Sept. 20, 2025, to protest the lack of action by government to mitigate the effects of climate change and to transition this country to clean energy, clear evidence of how Canadians feel about this failure by government. Passing the Climate Aligned Finance Act, sponsored by ISG Senator Rosa Galvez, would also help move Canada forward against the climate crisis.
All of this comes down to that 1980s oil filter commercial that concluded with “you can pay me now or pay me later.” That same logic applies to mitigation of climate change to protect future generations. After all, the future belongs to younger Canadians who need to be considered as our nation is rebuilt.
Geoff Strong is an atmospheric/climate scientist and writer, a fellow of the Canadian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society (CMOS) and a former president of CMOS. Richard van der Jagt is a retired hematologist /oncologist with a long-standing interest in the links between an adverse environment and exposure to environmental toxins and adverse health outcomes. He is an adjunct professor of medicine at the University of Ottawa, and is a board member of the Ontario division of the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment. Both sit on the boards of the Canadian Association of the Club of Rome, and of Prevent Cancer Now.
The Hill Times