Project Syndicate: Climate Leadership Means Ending Fossil-Fuel Production

The technology behind renewable energies like solar and wind is improving, and communities that plan for the transition away from reliance on fossil fuels will be cleaner, healthier, less polarized and economically stronger. Some countries resist the notion of not using up every last bit of coal and oil. Canada and Norway should not try to hedge on energy – both investing in renewables while still making long-term investments in fossil fuels, argue Tzeporah Berman and Lili Fuhr: “If Norway is to fulfill its proclaimed role as a leader in international climate discussions, its government must work actively to reduce production, while supporting affected workers and communities during the transition. Canada, another wealthy country that considers itself a climate leader yet continues to pursue new oil and gas projects, should do the same.” Planning ahead reduces costs. – YaleGlobal

Project Syndicate: Climate Leadership Means Ending Fossil-Fuel Production

A fossil-fuel-free economy can happen by design or by default – communities that plan can expect economic disruptions and political polarization for decades
Tzeporah Berman and Lili Fuhr
Tuesday, November 7, 2017

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Tzeporah Berman, former Co-Director of Greenpeace International’s Climate Program and co-founder of ForestEthics, is a strategic adviser to a number of First Nations, environmental organizations, and philanthropic foundations and an adjunct professor at York University. She is the author of This Crazy Time: Living Our Environmental Challenge. Lili Fuhr heads the Ecology and Sustainable Development Department at the Heinrich Böll Foundation. The authors wish to thank Hannah McKinnon of Oil Change International for her help with this commentary.

© Project Syndicate - 2017