Canadians think global warming is the most important issue to be addressed at the upcoming G8 and G20 summits, according to a new poll, even though Canadian politicians are keeping climate change off the main agenda.
"This is important, because Canadians recognize that Copenhagen was a bit of a gong show," said University of Victoria climate scientist Andrew Weaver. "They're saying 'we want to have some international agreement on this issue, and we don't believe Canada should do it alone.' They recognize that there is no agreement already in place, so let's put it on the table."
According to the poll by Nanos Research, Canadians put global warming ahead of other summit agenda items like freedom, democracy and human rights, nuclear security and economic recovery.
But Dimitri Soudas, a spokesperson for Prime Minister Stephen Harper, last month told the Canadian Press that climate change discussions will only happen on the "margins" of the G20 summit. "The primary focus of the G20, as per its mandate, is to discuss the economy and that is the government's number one priority."
The Nanos poll also asked Canadians to rate the country's current standings on each of the agenda items. Democracy and human rights were rated highest, while global warming received the lowest comparative score.
The G8 summit will be held in Huntsville, Ontario from June 25 to 27, with the G20 summit immediately following in Toronto.
Robyn Smith is completing a practicum at The Tyee.
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PHYSICS MSC
1 year ago
[OFFENSIVE TITLE EDITED.]want climate change to top G8/G20 agend
Dr. John S. Theon, retired Chief of the NASA Climate Processes Research Program, made his own views on global warming public on January 15, 2009. “I appreciate the opportunity to add my name to those who disagree that global warming is man-made,”
His major concern was the models. “My own belief concerning anthropogenic climate change is that the models do not realistically simulate the climate system because there are many very important sub-grid scale processes that the models either replicate poorly or completely omit,”
He made a disturbing comment about the data, which beyond the models is at the very heart of the climate problem. “Furthermore, some scientists have manipulated the observed data to justify their model results. In doing so, they neither explain what they have modified in the observations, nor explain how they did it. They have resisted making their work transparent so that it can be replicated independently by other scientists. This is clearly contrary to how science should be done. Thus there is no rational justification for using climate model forecasts to determine public policy,”
Dr. Theon explains the limitations of his position with James Hansen. “I was, in effect, Hansen’s supervisor because I had to justify his funding, allocate his resources, and evaluate his results. I did not have the authority to give him his annual performance evaluation,”
Theon describes Hansen as a “nice, likeable fellow,” but worries “he’s been overcome by his belief—almost religious—that he’s going to save the world.”
http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/23762
Dr Alexander
1 year ago
Say What!?
So far, every Canadian that I have had a coffee with at Tim's is either pi$$ed at the G8/20 security expense tab that we will have to pay and wishes we didn't have to pay so Harper can stroke his ego.
And for those who do have something to say about the meeting itself, they just want something to happen to keep or get a job.
Worried about Climate Change?
In today's economy?
You must be joking!