From the Ground Up

Peter and Mark talk about the apparently different plans (both inadequate but one worse than the other) being put forward for Saskatchewan's electricity provision by the provincial government and by SaskPower. They then move on to the Saskatchewan Environmental Society's application to intervene in the legal action being taken against the provincial government, the Crown Investments Corporation and SaskPower, together with two highly knowledgeable expert witnesses - and from there to the successful case brought by senior Swiss women against their government to the European Court of Human Rights.

Carbon pricing is complex. All the more reason for people to understand it properly so that they are not fooled by propaganda and misinformation. In this episode, Shannon and Mark talk through the two types of carbon pricing in place in Saskatchewan, and address the confusion being promoted by inaccurate labelling on our electricity bills. Shannon has raised SaskPower's corporate misinformation with multiple authorities; we encourage others to do likewise.https://climatejusticesaskatoon.ca/2024/04/10/carbon-pricing-on-utility-bills/

Following the passing of a muddled and effectively science-denying resolution by the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities, Darrin Qualman,, Director of Climate Crisis Policy and Action with the National Farmers Union, talks about some better ways forward for farming.. The NFU is advocating for establishment of a Canadian Farm Resilience Agency, with ultimately a three-fold purpose: (i) enabling farmers to develop resilience and implement adaptation measures in the face of the escalating impacts of climate change, (ii) enabling farmers to reduce their own GHG emissions, and (iii) ensuring financial security and viability for farmers.https://www.nfu.ca/tag/climate-change/

Whether we call it natural gas or fossil gas, we are heavily dependent on it. And that's a problem, It's primarily made up of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas which adds to global heating when it leaks or is vented. And when it's burnt for energy it produces carbon dioxide, the principal greenhouse gas. So what do we do, first to reduce our dependence on it and then to wean ourselves off it altogether? What are the non-climate benefits to doing so? What are the challenges? What are the obstacles being put in our way. Over two episodes (this is #2), Mitchell and Mark talk through how we use it, what we can usefully do, and why it's more of a challenge than it really should be.

Whether we call it natural gas or fossil gas, it's a problem, It's primarily made up of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas which adds to global heating when it leaks or is vented. And when it's burnt for energy it produces carbon dioxide, the principal greenhouse gas. So what do we do, first to reduce our dependence on it and then to wean ourselves off it altogether? What are the non-climate benefits to doing so? What are the challenges? What are the obstacles being put in our way. Over two episodes (this is #1), Mitchell and Mark talk through how we use it, what we can usefully do, and why it's more of a challenge than it really should be.

A bit of a mix this week. An announcement of a series of climate-relevant events in Saskatoon. Then comment on the Saskatchewan government's decision to break the law by refusing to collect carbon pricing revenues. And finally a replay of some of Dave Greenfield's sonnets from December 2022.Links to the events advertised at the beginning:Sustainability speakers series: https://environmentalsociety.ca/events/sustainable-speakers-series/SCIC showing of I Am Greta on Mar:22: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/i-am-greta-film-screening-panel-event-tickets-855602669617