What You're Saying: Climate Change

Air issues, including climate change, were second only to water issues as the areas of greatest public interest. Canadians are clearly concerned about the impact greenhouse gas emissions could have on climate change, today and in the future.

“…only serious reductions of emissions are going to deal with the climate change problem.” (July 18, 2008)
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“… it is in consumption rather than production that we should be focusing our energy. I hope that oil sands development slows down and I am looking forward to seeing carbon capture and storage technology implemented in the oil sands to reduce CO2 emissions. While it is imperative that we reduce the GHG emissions in oil sands production, the greatest impact we can make on GHG emission-reduction is to decrease our dependence on oil in the first place.” (June 25, 2008)
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“The idea that reducing the energy “intensity” of oil sands production will deal with the problem is ridiculous considering that oil sands production is due to triple in the years to come, effectively nullifying any gains from energy intensity reductions.” (June 24, 2008)
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“Mega tons of CO2 in the atmosphere daily is just not acceptable with today’s environmentally conscious society, especially when they see the huge amounts of profits to the producers who are not doing everything that can be done to reduce the impact on the environment.” (June 26, 2008)
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Canadians also told us that they’re not convinced that the solution to greenhouse gas emissions is carbon capture and storage.

 “Premier Stelmach announced yesterday that Alberta will commit $2 billion to carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects. The idea of burying CO2 underground sounds good (out of sight, out of mind?), but I've heard some very disturbing things about not only the possible dangers of CCS, but also its very questionable economics.” (July 9, 2008)
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There is also debate regarding whose responsibility it is to manager greenhouse gas emissions.

“Although I am sure all of these gasses have some negative impacts, shouldn't it be government’s job to only impose strict limits on the gasses that are most harmful to the environment. It's not the public’s job to control how every facet of the operation is ran.” (July 11, 2008)
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 “I live in the NWT and there are all sorts of indications there of warming temperatures which match the predictions made by climate change models. I don't feel like just standing by and doing nothing as Arctic and Subarctic ecosystems fall apart due to rising temperatures…If there were ever an issue to unite everyone on this tiny planet and get everyone working together, surely climate change is it.” (August 5, 2008)
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